orca

noun

or·​ca ˈȯr-kə How to pronounce orca (audio)
plural orcas or orca
: a relatively small toothed whale (Orcinus orca of the family Delphinidae) that is black above with white underparts and white oval-shaped patches behind the eyes : killer whale
Orcas are … the most agile and streamlined of the cetaceans. Found throughout the world, they are intelligent, social, and matriarchal.Marguerite Holloway
At the end of the food chain sustained by the krill is the orca … a spectacular animal patterned in black and white, that hunts in groups of up to thirty or forty, feeding on penguins, porpoises and seals.John Vandenbeld
There they were, wild orcas. Adrenaline rushed through my body, but I clung to the dock. I knew nothing of these waters or this northern wilderness.Alexandra Morton
… nowhere in the world are orca easier to see than on Puget Sound, where new whale-watching cruises bring you close to one of the few resident populations.Sunset

Examples of orca in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Share [Findings] An orca acting alone killed a great white shark and ate its liver. Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 25 Sep. 2024 Mammals like the orca were ruled out due to having warmer temperature readings, so the scientists focused on endothermic sharks. Stephen Sorace, Fox News, 4 Sep. 2024 According to the New England Aquarium, orca sightings are highly uncommon in New England waters. Julia Daye, Miami Herald, 7 June 2024 The marks were from orca teeth — likely from an attack only hours earlier, locals surmised. Julia Daye, Sacramento Bee, 9 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for orca 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'orca.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, a genus name, earlier a specific epithet (Delphinus orca, Linnaeus), going back to Latin, "a marine mammal, probably Risso's dolphin," borrowed (perhaps via Etruscan) from Greek oryg-, óryx "kind of marine mammal" — more at oryx

Note: The Roman grammarian Sextus Pompeius Festus assumed that the form of the Latin word reflected a different word orca, "kind of narrow-necked earthenware vessel," from the animal's supposed resemblance to the vase.

First Known Use

1726, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of orca was in 1726

Dictionary Entries Near orca

Cite this Entry

“Orca.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orca. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.

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