noun
narwhal
NAR-wul
Narwhal (noun) means an Arctic whale with teeth, the male of which has a single long, twisted tusk projecting from its head. Example: “The narwhal is often called the unicorn of the sea.”
noun
1
An Arctic whale with teeth, the male of which has a single long, twisted tusk projecting from its head.
"The narwhal is often called the unicorn of the sea."
"We watched a documentary about narwhals swimming beneath the ice."
"Only the male narwhal normally has the long spiralling tusk."
How to use narwhal
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA whale from Arctic waters, famous for the long tusk of the male.
When to use it
It is a neutral, everyday word, used in both science and general conversation.
Memory tip
Say the first syllable with a long a, as in car, then a short second syllable.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
narwhal tusk
a pod of narwhals
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Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ is often called the unicorn of the sea.
Etymology
English borrowed the word from Dutch narwal or Danish and Norwegian narhval. These come from Old Norse náhvalr, made from nár, meaning corpse, and hvalr, meaning whale.
Synonyms
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sea unicorn
narwal
narwhale
Frequently asked questions
What is a narwhal?
A narwhal is an Arctic toothed whale. The male has a single horn-like tusk that projects forward.
How big is a narwhal?
A narwhal grows to about 20 feet, or around 6 metres, long.
What is the plural of narwhal?
Both narwhals and narwhal are used as the plural.
What is the meaning of narwhal?
"narwhal" (noun) means an Arctic whale with teeth, the male of which has a single long, twisted tusk projecting from its head.
