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noun

orc

awk
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Orc (noun) means a mythical monstrous, humanoid creature — usually depicted as brutish, aggressive, and green-skinned — common in fantasy fiction. Example: “The heroes fought off a raiding party of orcs at the bridge.”

noun
1
A mythical monstrous, humanoid creature — usually depicted as brutish, aggressive, and green-skinned — common in fantasy fiction.
"The heroes fought off a raiding party of orcs at the bridge."
"In the game, players can choose to play as an orc warrior."
2
A large, fierce sea creature, especially the killer whale.
"Old sailing accounts describe orcs attacking whaling boats."

How to use orc

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishIn fantasy stories and games, a rough, aggressive monster-race; in older usage, a name for a fierce whale.

Common mistake

Don't confuse with "orca" — the whale name is now the standard spelling; "orc" today almost always means the fantasy creature.

Easily confused with
orca → ogre →
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Word forms

Plural
orcs
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The heroes fought off a raiding party of _____ at the bridge.

Etymology

The sea-creature sense traces back through French and Italian to Latin orca ("a kind of whale") — the same root that gives us "orca." The fantasy-monster sense was popularized separately by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Origin: Latin

Frequently asked questions

What does “orc” mean?
The word “orc” means a mythical monstrous, humanoid creature — usually depicted as brutish, aggressive, and green-skinned — common in fantasy fiction. In plain terms, in fantasy stories and games, a rough, aggressive monster-race; in older usage, a name for a fierce whale.
How do you pronounce “orc”?
“Orc” is pronounced awk (/ɔɹk/ in IPA).
How do you use “orc” in a sentence?
Here is “orc” used in a sentence: “The heroes fought off a raiding party of orcs at the bridge.”
What part of speech is “orc”?
“Orc” is a noun.
Where does the word “orc” come from?
The word “orc” comes from Latin. The sea-creature sense traces back through French and Italian to Latin orca ("a kind of whale") — the same root that gives us "orca." The fantasy-monster sense was popularized separately by J.R.R. Tolkien.
How many meanings does “orc” have?
“Orc” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a mythical monstrous, humanoid creature — usually depicted as brutish, aggressive, and green-skinned — common in fantasy fiction.