Illustration of narwhal
narwhal
noun
nar·whal
ˈnär-ˌ(h)wäl 
-wəl
variants
or less commonly narwhale
: an arctic cetacean (Monodon monoceros) that reaches a length of about 16 feet (5 meters) and possesses in the male one or rarely two long, spirally twisted, pointed tusks
Note: Although the narwhal is classified as a toothed whale (suborder Odontoceti), it does not possess any teeth in its mouth.
Did you know?
The narwhal is a toothed whale found throughout arctic waters. Its Latin binomial, Monodon monoceros, is derived from the Greek words for "single-toothed" and "single-horned." Its English name (also sometimes spelled narwhale) comes from the Norwegian and Danish narvhal and the Swedish narval, words which are probably a modification of the Icelandic nárhvalur, which comes from the Old Norse nāhvalr. In Old Norse hvalr means "whale" and is akin to the Old English hwæl, the ancestor of the Modern English whale. The first element of nāhvalr is believed to be nār, the Old Norse word for "corpse," from the resemblance of the animal's color to that of a human corpse.
Examples of narwhal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Because the locals hunt for sustenance, species like harp seals, beluga whales, and the elusive narwhals have learned to avoid humans, which explains the less frequent sightings in comparison to the south pole where penguins, orcas, and leopard seals exist without this threat.
—
Jillian Dara, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Jan. 2026
Garde’s research focuses on the history and future sustainability of narwhals, a species of Arctic toothed whale famously beloved by both small children and Buddy the Elf.
—Maggie Koerth, CNN Money, 25 Dec. 2025
In response, the Greenlandic government allotted them an additional five narwhals—these, too, were killed in a day.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
For more than five hundred years, scientists had been unable to figure out the purpose of the narwhal’s tusk— a single tooth that can be up to nine feet long.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for narwhal
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jillian Dara, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Jan. 2026
Garde’s research focuses on the history and future sustainability of narwhals, a species of Arctic toothed whale famously beloved by both small children and Buddy the Elf.
—Maggie Koerth, CNN Money, 25 Dec. 2025
In response, the Greenlandic government allotted them an additional five narwhals—these, too, were killed in a day.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
For more than five hundred years, scientists had been unable to figure out the purpose of the narwhal’s tusk— a single tooth that can be up to nine feet long.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for narwhal
Cite this Entry
“Narwhal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/narwhal. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
narwhal
noun
nar·whal
ˈnär-ˌwäl
-ˌhwäl,
-wəl
: an arctic sea mammal that is about 20 feet (six meters) long, is related to the dolphins and whales and in the male has a long twisted ivory tusk
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
