narwhale


Also found in: Thesaurus, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Related to narwhale: killer whale, unicorn

nar·whal

also nar·wal  (när′wəl) or nar·whale (-wāl′, -hwāl′)
n.
An Arctic whale (Monodon monoceros) having mottled gray or whitish skin and in the male, a long spirally twisted tusk projecting forward from the left side of the head.
[Norwegian or Danish narhval, from Old Norse nāhvalr : nār, corpse (from its whitish color) + hvalr, whale.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.narwhale - small Arctic whale the male having a long spiral ivory tusknarwhale - small Arctic whale the male having a long spiral ivory tusk
Monodon monoceros, narwal, narwhal
whale - any of the larger cetacean mammals having a streamlined body and breathing through a blowhole on the head
genus Monodon, Monodon - type genus of the Monodontidae
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Mentioned in ?
References in classic literature ?
In old Norse times, the thrones of the sea-loving Danish kings were fabricated, saith tradition, of the tusks of the narwhale. How could one look at Ahab then, seated on that tripod of bones, without bethinking him of the royalty it symbolized?
View in context
Along the way she meets clever killer whales, playful penguins, a friendly polar bear and the ancient narwhale. Then one day, the little whale realises she wants to find somewhere to stay forever.
The Whale, the Sea and the Stars
It is intended to raise awareness of seismic testing in Nunavut that is threatening narwhale populations, other wildlife and the lives of the indigenous Inuit people of the area who depend on hunting and fishing.
Our cover
In old Norse times, the thrones of the sea-loving Danish kings were fabricated, saith tradition, of the tusks of the narwhale. How could one look at Ahab then, seated on that tripod of bones, without bethinking him of the royalty it symbolized?
Part II: Herman Melville's "; or The Whale"

Dictionary browser ?
Full browser ?