orca

noun

or·​ca ˈȯr-kə 

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

At 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

There 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

… 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

Examples of orca in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But while experts are not sure what’s driving the orca incidents, a leading theory is that the killer whales causing havoc largely off Europe’s Iberian Peninsula are just playful, bored teenagers. —Naomi Schanen, Washington Post, 11 July 2024

The incidents — which have not resulted in injuries — are believed to have been caused by a small group of around 15 orcas, according to the Times. —Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 26 July 2024

So, while great whites are dominant predators, they’re outmatched by the orca. —Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 16 July 2024

Head to Washington’s San Juan Islands to dabble in sea kayaking and orca spotting, or get dolled up for an evening of fine dining and chamber music on Amelia Island in Florida. —Lila Harron Battis, Travel + Leisure, 9 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, a genus name, earlier a specific epithet (Delphinus orca, Linnaeus), going back to Latin, "a marine mammal, probably Risso's dolphin," borrowed (perhaps via Etruscan) from Greek oryg-, óryx "kind of marine mammal" — more at oryx

Note: The Roman grammarian Sextus Pompeius Festus assumed that the form of the Latin word reflected a different word orca, "kind of narrow-necked earthenware vessel," from the animal's supposed resemblance to the vase.

First Known Use

1726, in the meaning defined above