killer whale
noun
: 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, attains a length of 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 meters), typically hunts in groups, and preys chiefly on sea mammals (such as seals, sea lions, and other whales), large fish, and squid
called also orca
Examples of killer whale in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
All killer whales are currently classified as Orcinus orca, a macabre nod to their vicious reputation.
—
Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
In a paper published in the journal Royal Society Open Science on Tuesday, the scientists proposed giving new species designations to two groups of animals, one known as resident killer whales and the other often called Bigg’s killer whales.
—Emily Anthes, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024
The recent incidents build on previous research that these killer whales predominantly target the livers of white sharks and discard the rest of the carcass.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024
Boat captain Erica Page scanned the ocean’s surface, searching for any signs that killer whales were near.
—Laylan Connelly, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024
Rescuers have also reported that a group of killer whales that could include her relatives has been swimming near Vancouver Island.
—Andrew Jeong, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
My colleague Lila Seidman wrote a fascinating piece about new research that argues there are distinct species of orcas, and about an odd story from more than a century ago: how a San Francisco whaler in 1869 described two species of killer whales, only to have his work cast aside.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
All killer whales are currently categorized as a single species, but a new study may change that.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Mar. 2024
The park no longer breeds killer whales but still has a healthy population of eight orcas.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2024
Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
In a paper published in the journal Royal Society Open Science on Tuesday, the scientists proposed giving new species designations to two groups of animals, one known as resident killer whales and the other often called Bigg’s killer whales.
—Emily Anthes, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024
The recent incidents build on previous research that these killer whales predominantly target the livers of white sharks and discard the rest of the carcass.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024
Boat captain Erica Page scanned the ocean’s surface, searching for any signs that killer whales were near.
—Laylan Connelly, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024
Rescuers have also reported that a group of killer whales that could include her relatives has been swimming near Vancouver Island.
—Andrew Jeong, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
My colleague Lila Seidman wrote a fascinating piece about new research that argues there are distinct species of orcas, and about an odd story from more than a century ago: how a San Francisco whaler in 1869 described two species of killer whales, only to have his work cast aside.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
All killer whales are currently categorized as a single species, but a new study may change that.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Mar. 2024
The park no longer breeds killer whales but still has a healthy population of eight orcas.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'killer whale.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Killer whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/killer%20whale. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
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