walrus

Etymology

From Danish hvalros, an inversion of Old Norse hrosshvalr (“horse-whale”). The term may have entered English via Dutch walrus. Compare Icelandic hross (“a horse”) and hvalur (“a whale”), and German Walross.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈwɔːl.ɹəs/, /ˈwɒl.ɹəs/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈwɑl.ɹəs/, /ˈwɔl.ɹəs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

walrus (plural walruses or walrus or walrusses)

1. A large Arctic marine mammal related to seals and having long tusks, tough, wrinkled skin, and four flippers, Odobenus rosmarus.
   • 1887 — James W. Buel, Sea and Land, page 251.

     Of all the Phocine family none present so terrible and grotesque an appearance as the gigantic Walrus, also known as the morse and sea-horse.

Etymology

The origin of this word is uncertain, with several theories proposed. The Old Norse hrossvalr (“horse-whale”) is thought to have been passed to Dutch in an inverted form as wal (“whale; large sea-animal”) +‎ ros (“horse”). The inversion would likely have happened due to the influence of the already existing Dutch compound walvis (“whale, lit. whale-fish”). An alternate theory is that is comes from wal (“shore”) +‎ reus (“giant”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʋɑlrʏs/

• audio

  (file)

Noun

walrus m (plural walrussen, diminutive walrusje n)

1. walrus