narwhal

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a medium-sized Arctic toothed whale whose male usually bears a long, spirally twisted tusk formed from an upper canine tooth

   The male narwhal uses its elongated left canine as a tusk during displays and contests.

Through Dutch narwal or Danish and Norwegian narhval from Old Norse nahvalr, traditionally analyzed as nar, 'corpse,' + hvalr, 'whale,' perhaps referring to the animal's mottled grey color. Narwhale and narwal are established alternate spellings.

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