leopard seal

noun

: a spotted slate gray seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) especially of antarctic and subantarctic waters that feeds chiefly on krill, other seals, penguins, and fish

Examples of leopard seal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web What leopard seals eat varies depending on the time of year and prey availability. Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024 See humpback whales, leopard seals, and gentoo, Adélie, and chinstrap penguins, or watch icebergs float by and go hiking through Antarctica's untouched landscape. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2023 That was how Erich Fitzgerald met Sabine the leopard seal. Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 1 Nov. 2012 The leopard seal is a semi-aquatic mammal and an apex predator in Antarctica. Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 29 July 2022 Photographer Paul Nicklen is still awestruck by his face time with a leopard seal in 2006. Craig Welch, National Geographic, 13 Jan. 2023 Weighing in at over 1,200 pounds, a leopard seal looks like the prehistoric marine species that once took on the dinosaurs. Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 7 Dec. 2022 Amos Nachoum was awarded the grand prize for his image of a leopard seal hunting a penguin. Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2022 Without many other fledglings around, the young penguins may be more likely to become a meal for a hungry leopard seal. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Oct. 2022

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

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of leopard seal was in 1834

Dictionary Entries Near leopard seal

Cite this Entry

“Leopard seal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leopard%20seal. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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