fur seal

noun

: any of various eared seals that have a double coat with a dense soft underfur and were hunted especially formerly for their desirable pelts:
a
: a large seal (Callorhinus ursinus) of the northern Pacific Ocean having its main breeding rookery on Pribilof Island in the Bering Sea

called also northern fur seal

b
: any of a genus (Arctocephalus) of seals chiefly of the southern hemisphere

called also southern fur seal

Illustration of fur seal

Illustration of fur seal

Examples of fur seal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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To avoid biases in estimating residency, such as the tendency of sharks to stay in the Neptune Islands area or seasonal variations (e.g., the presence of long-nosed fur seals, Arctocephalus forsteri), the team tagged sharks randomly throughout the monitoring period. Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 At Flinders Chase National Park, a two-hour drive to the west, go hiking, walk through the otherworldly formations at Remarkable Rocks, and watch fur seals play beneath the dramatic Admirals Arch. Robin Catalano, Travel + Leisure, 3 Sep. 2024 Additionally, the fur seal can maintain lactation despite extended periods without nursing. Gat Rauner, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2024 Dozens of marine mammals, including sea lions, dolphins and fur seals, have been found sick and disoriented in California the past month, according to local officials. Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 7 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fur seal 

Word History

First Known Use

1775, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fur seal was in 1775

Dictionary Entries Near fur seal

Cite this Entry

“Fur seal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fur%20seal. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

fur seal

noun
: any of various eared seals with a dense soft undercoat

More from Merriam-Webster on fur seal

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