nar·whal also nar·wal (när w l) or nar·whale (-hw l , -wl)n. An Arctic whale (Monodon monoceros) that has a spotted pelt and is characterized in the male by a long spirally twisted ivory tusk projecting from the left side of its head. [Norwegian or Danish narhval, from Old Norse n hvalr : nr, corpse (from its whitish color) + hvalr, whale.] |   male narwhal Monodon monoceros |
narwhal, narwal [ˈnɑːwəl], narwhale [ˈnɑːˌweɪl]
n
(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) an arctic toothed whale, Monodon monoceros, having a black-spotted whitish skin and, in the male, a long spiral tusk: family Monodontidae
[of Scandinavian origin; compare Danish, Norwegian narhval, from Old Norse nāhvalr, from nār corpse + hvalr whale, from its white colour, supposed to resemble a human corpse]
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  narwhal - small Arctic whale the male having a long spiral ivory tuskwhale - any of the larger cetacean mammals having a streamlined body and breathing through a blowhole on the head genus Monodon, Monodon - type genus of the Monodontidae |
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