walrus

Meaning

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

Concepts

walrus

Synonyms

zeepaard

Translations

morse

Walross

tricheco

morsa

morsa

mors

Walroß

morsa

Odobenus rosmarus

Odobaenus rosmarus

rosmarus

θαλάσσιος ίππος

فَظّ

οδόβαινος

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈʋɑlrʏs/

Etymology

Borrowed from Danish: hvalros

Borrowed from Swedish: 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”).