elephant seal

noun

: either of two very large seals (genus Mirounga of the family Phocidae) characterized by a long inflatable proboscis:

a

: one (M. angustirostris) found in Pacific coastal waters from southeastern Alaska to Baja California

b

: one (M. leonina) found in coastal waters of subantarctic islands and Patagonia

Examples of elephant seal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Just across the highway at Año Nuevo State Park, elephant seals loll lazily on the beach. —Scott Clark As Told To Betsy Andrews, Saveur, 3 Apr. 2025

Young northern elephant seals can be seen in and around the Bay Area. —Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2025

In 2024, the San Diego team helped rescue 100 sea lions, 333 birds, four harbor seals, 20 elephant seals, seven Guadalupe fur seals, five cetaceans and five sea turtles. —Kate Murphy, Axios, 19 Mar. 2025

Earlier research suggests elephant seals began vanishing from the Ross Sea coastline roughly 1,000 years ago. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for elephant seal

• automobile
• periosteal
• peritoneal
• abele
• alkyl
• anneal
• appeal
• cartwheel
• conceal
• congeal
• coquille
• corneal