Illustration of narwhal
narwhal
noun
nar·whal
ˈnär-ˌ(h)wäl 
-wəl
variants
or less commonly narwhale
ˈnär-ˌwāl
-ˌ(h)wāl
: an arctic cetacean (Monodon monoceros) that reaches a length of about 16 feet (5 meters) and possesses in the male one or rarely two long, spirally twisted, pointed tusks
Note: Although the narwhal is classified as a toothed whale (suborder Odontoceti), it does not possess any teeth in its mouth.
Did you know?
The narwhal is a toothed whale found throughout arctic waters. Its Latin binomial, Monodon monoceros, is derived from the Greek words for "single-toothed" and "single-horned." Its English name (also sometimes spelled narwhale) comes from the Norwegian and Danish narvhal and the Swedish narval, words which are probably a modification of the Icelandic nárhvalur, which comes from the Old Norse nāhvalr. In Old Norse hvalr means "whale" and is akin to the Old English hwæl, the ancestor of the Modern English whale. The first element of nāhvalr is believed to be nār, the Old Norse word for "corpse," from the resemblance of the animal's color to that of a human corpse.
Examples of narwhal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Physiological responses of narwhals to anthropogenic noise: A case study with seismic airguns and vessel traffic in the Arctic.
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Donna Sarkar, Discover Magazine, 28 June 2024
Reindeer, beluga whales, narwhals, and polar bears were also on the program.
—Alexandra Owens, Robb Report, 27 June 2024
Most of the company's guides are members of the Inuit community, which still hunts narwhal, according to strict quotas.
—The Week Uk, theweek, 28 Apr. 2024
He was taken a thousand miles south to a TB sanatorium in Hamilton, Ontario, where the teen boy – used to roaming land and sea to hunt ptarmigan, seals and narwhal – was confined to a bed, not allowed to get up and walk.
—Melody Schreiber, NPR, 2 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for narwhal 
Donna Sarkar, Discover Magazine, 28 June 2024
Reindeer, beluga whales, narwhals, and polar bears were also on the program.
—Alexandra Owens, Robb Report, 27 June 2024
Most of the company's guides are members of the Inuit community, which still hunts narwhal, according to strict quotas.
—The Week Uk, theweek, 28 Apr. 2024
He was taken a thousand miles south to a TB sanatorium in Hamilton, Ontario, where the teen boy – used to roaming land and sea to hunt ptarmigan, seals and narwhal – was confined to a bed, not allowed to get up and walk.
—Melody Schreiber, NPR, 2 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for narwhal
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'narwhal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near narwhal
Cite this Entry
“Narwhal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/narwhal. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
narwhal
noun
nar·whal
ˈnär-ˌwäl
-ˌhwäl,
-wəl
: an arctic sea mammal that is about 20 feet (six meters) long, is related to the dolphins and whales and in the male has a long twisted ivory tusk
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