walrus

Bedeutung (Englisch)

walrus, any member of the family Odobenidae of which Odobenus rosmarus is the sole extant member

Konzepte

Walross

Walroß

Synonyme

zeepaard

Übersetzungen

walrus

morse

morsa

morsa

tricheco

mors

morsa

rosmarus

θαλάσσιος ίππος

οδόβαινος

فَظّ

Odobenus rosmarus

Odobaenus rosmarus

Ausgesprochen als (IPA)

/ˈʋɑlrʏs/

Etymologie (Englisch)

Entlehnt von Dänisch: hvalros

Entlehnt von Schwedisch: valross

In summary

The origin of this word is not wholly certain, with several theories proposed. Probably borrowed from Danish hvalros or Swedish valross, from an inversion of Old Norse hrosshvalr (“horse-whale”). Equivalent to wal (“whale; large sea-animal”) + ros (“horse”). The Old Norse word may, however, been a folk-etymological modification of Old Norse rossmal, related to Proto-Germanic *rusta-, from the rust colour of the animal. Preference for borrowing the inverted form could have been due to the influence of the already existing Dutch compound walvis (“whale”, literally “whale-fish”).