noun
narwhal
NAR-wahl/ˈnɑːrwɑːl/
An Arctic whale whose male typically has a long spiral tusk.
A male narwhal swims beneath the ice, its spiral tusk pointing forward.
Etymology
Danish narhval names the tusked Arctic whale. Its proposed “corpse-whale” ancestry may refer to its whitish color, but a rival explanation connects the name with a long, narrow projection.
In context
The narwhal tooth is the only straight tusk in the world. It's also one of the few teeth that is a spiral shape. The tooth grows in a counterclockwise spiral.
More examples
- Narwhals surface through openings in the sea ice.
- A narwhal's tusk is actually an elongated tooth.
- The researchers track a narwhal as it dives for food.
Forms
narwhal · narwhals
Similar words
- whale
- A broader term that includes species without a spiral tusk.