seahorse

noun

sea·​horse ˈsē-ˌhȯrs How to pronounce seahorse (audio)
plural seahorses
1
: any of a genus (Hippocampus of the family Syngnathidae) of small bony fishes that have the head angled downward toward the body which is carried vertically and are equipped with a prehensile tail
2
: a mythical creature half horse and half fish
3
: walrus

Illustration of seahorse

Illustration of seahorse
  • seahorse 1

Examples of seahorse 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.
The other tanks, for Marcellus and the seahorses and the wolf eels, were on a stage. — Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026 Male seahorses are known for carrying, feeding and hatching eggs directly from a pouch on their body. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 21 June 2026 The similarity is so strong that even the team from the beloved children’s show gave their full backing to name the seahorse relative after Big Bird’s woolly pal. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 May 2026 The winery’s door handles are seahorses, and the bathrooms, marked with mermaid and pirate signage, each feature a large mermaid mural inside, painted by Barrett. — Jess Lander, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for seahorse

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of seahorse was in the 15th century

Rhymes for seahorse

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Browse Nearby Words

sea hollyhock
seahorse
seahound
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Seahorse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seahorse. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sea horse

noun
1
: a mythical animal half horse and half fish
2
: a small fish with bony plates covering its body and a head that looks like a horse's head
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