plural orcas or orca
: a relatively small toothed whale (Orcinus orca of the family Delphinidae) that is black above with white underparts and white oval-shaped patches behind the eyes : killer whale
Orcas are … the most agile and streamlined of the cetaceans. Found throughout the world, they are intelligent, social, and matriarchal.—
Marguerite Holloway
Marguerite HollowayAt the end of the food chain sustained by the krill is the orca … a spectacular animal patterned in black and white, that hunts in groups of up to thirty or forty, feeding on penguins, porpoises and seals.—John Vandenbeld
John VandenbeldThere they were, wild orcas. Adrenaline rushed through my body, but I clung to the dock. I knew nothing of these waters or this northern wilderness.—Alexandra Morton
Alexandra Morton… nowhere in the world are orca easier to see than on Puget Sound, where new whale-watching cruises bring you close to one of the few resident populations.—Sunset
SunsetExamples of orca in a Sentence
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The orcas were spread out throughout the hours-long feed, which is normal, the post said.
—Paloma Chavez, Sacramento Bee, 5 Mar. 2025
Some baleen whale species are capable of evading orcas — their only known predators — by using stealth-like communication, according to new research.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 18 Feb. 2025
An orca whale mother has kept her dead calf by her side for at least 11 days.
—Bailey Richards, People.com, 13 Jan. 2025
Directed by Arin Arbus and featuring a top-notch cast including Maryann Plunkett and Crystal Finn, Koogler’s play takes place on an island in the Puget Sound, where the community has gathered in the wake of the local orca pod’s disappearance.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
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Paloma Chavez, Sacramento Bee, 5 Mar. 2025
Some baleen whale species are capable of evading orcas — their only known predators — by using stealth-like communication, according to new research.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 18 Feb. 2025
An orca whale mother has kept her dead calf by her side for at least 11 days.
—Bailey Richards, People.com, 13 Jan. 2025
Directed by Arin Arbus and featuring a top-notch cast including Maryann Plunkett and Crystal Finn, Koogler’s play takes place on an island in the Puget Sound, where the community has gathered in the wake of the local orca pod’s disappearance.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for orca
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Cite this Entry
“Orca.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orca. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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