walrus

noun

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wal·rus | \ ˈwȯl-rəs

, ˈwäl- \

plural walrus or walruses

Definition of walrus

: a large gregarious marine mammal (Odobenus rosmarus of the family Odobenidae) of arctic waters related to the seals that has limbs modified into webbed flippers, long ivory tusks, a tough wrinkled hide, stiff whiskers, and a thick layer of blubber

Note: The male walrus may reach a weight of over 3700 pounds (1678 kilograms). Walrus typically inhabit moving pack ice and usually feed on organisms (such as clams and mussels) living on or near the ocean's bottom. Walrus of the northern Atlantic are considered a separate subspecies (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) from the somewhat larger northern Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens).

Examples of walrus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For example, the sudden inclusion of an uncommon walrus tusk carved in the three-dimensional Nunivak Island style would have otherwise been unlikely, according to Demma. — Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 29 Apr. 2022 Something that’s cheap and pink and shaped like a walrus? — Anna Pulley, chicagotribune.com, 13 Apr. 2022 The healthy system is highly energy-efficient — with sediment-dwelling invertebrates and bottom fish feeding on the rain of algae, and then birds and large-bodied mammals, such as walrus and whales, scooping them up. — Susanne Rust, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Dec. 2021 The healthy system is highly energy-efficient — with sediment-dwelling invertebrates and bottom fish feeding on the rain of algae, and then birds and large-bodied mammals, such as walrus and whales, scooping them up. — Susanne Rust, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Dec. 2021 Animals who are at home in the cold — like the Arctic fox, sea lions, walrus, tigers and brown bears — will be out to greet visitors. — Domenica Bongiovanni, The Indianapolis Star, 13 Jan. 2022 The healthy system is highly energy-efficient — with sediment-dwelling invertebrates and bottom fish feeding on the rain of algae, and then birds and large-bodied mammals, such as walrus and whales, scooping them up. — Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2021 Igloolik has always been known for its walrus hunting. — Devi Lockwood, Wired, 21 Sep. 2021 He was previously seen 22 days ago in West Cork, Ireland, sparking concerns for his safety, but the Irish rescue charity said new pictures of a similar-looking walrus taken in Iceland were indeed Wally. — NBC News, 23 Sep. 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'walrus.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries Near walrus

walpurgite

walrus

walrus bird

Statistics for walrus

Last Updated

3 May 2022

Cite this Entry

“Walrus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/walrus. Accessed 25 May. 2022.

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More Definitions for walrus

walrus

noun

wal·rus | \ ˈwȯl-rəs

Kids Definition of walrus

: a large animal of northern seas that is related to the seal and has long ivory tusks, a tough wrinkled hide, and flippers used in swimming, diving, and moving about on land