walrus

Meaning

Noun

1. A large Arctic marine mammal related to seals and having long tusks, tough, wrinkled skin, and four flippers, Odobenus rosmarus.
2. (informal) A man with a walrus moustache.

Verb

1. To hunt walruses
2. To be like a walrus
3. To be like a walrus
4. To be like a walrus

Synonyms

sea horse

seahorse

sea cow

sea elephant

Morse

sea-horse

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈwɔːl.ɹəs/

Etymology

Cognate with Old English: horshwæl

Cognate with Danish: hvalros

Cognate with Old Norse: hrosshvalr

Cognate with German: Walross

In summary

Probably borrowed from Dutch walrus, a compound of wal (“whale”) and ros (“horse”). Displaced native Old English horshwæl (literally “horse-whale”). Compare similar constructions in Danish hvalros, Old Norse hrosshvalr, and German Walross.