noun
krill
KRIL/krɪl/
Tiny shrimp-like marine crustaceans that feed many ocean animals.
Blue whales swallow huge numbers of krill while feeding.
Etymology
Norwegian kril meant small young fish. In English, the borrowed name instead denotes tiny shrimp-like crustaceans eaten by whales and fish.
In context
This is the Antarctic krill. Tiny shrimp-like crustaceans only a few centimeters long.
More examples
- A dense swarm of krill gathers beneath the ice.
- Many penguins depend on krill for food.
- Scientists collect krill to study changes in the ocean.
Forms
krill · krills
Similar words
- shrimp
- Similar-looking crustaceans, typically larger, with marine and freshwater species.