elephant seal

noun

: either of two very large seals (genus Mirounga of the family Phocidae) characterized by a long inflatable proboscis:
a
: one (M. angustirostris) found in Pacific coastal waters from southeastern Alaska to Baja California
b
: one (M. leonina) found in coastal waters of subantarctic islands and Patagonia

Examples of elephant seal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Legacy Effects made full-size physical references, while ILM developed a digital muscle system and explored movements inspired by elephant seals and sumo wrestlers. — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026 Chris Lowe, director of the Cal State Long Beach Shark Lab, posited to The Times on Tuesday night that the great white was an adult that might have been hunting for elephant seals. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026 More writer’s assistant jobs followed, including work with a showrunner who was so cruel that Singh thought about moving to San Luis Obispo to become a docent for its famous elephant seal congregation. — Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026 Marine life thrives around the islands — 27 species of whales and dolphins live or pass through the area, along with elephant seals, harbor seals, sea lions, California brown pelicans and rare seabirds like the Scripps’ murrelet. — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for elephant seal

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of elephant seal was in 1839

Rhymes for elephant seal

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Browse Nearby Words

elephantopus
elephant seal
elephant shark
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Cite this Entry

“Elephant seal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elephant%20seal. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on elephant seal

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about elephant seal

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