California sea lion
1
3.4
- noun
- /ˌkælɪˈfɔːrnjə ˈsiː ˈlaɪən/
- US
:
león marino de California
- At Pier 39, visitors can often watch the playful California sea lions basking in the sun.
- California sea lion and harbor seal
Examples
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Its availability may be essential for female and juvenile California sea lions on the Channel Islands during the winter months, the primary spawning season for market squid in southern California.
Academic text (2000) -
California sea lions, Steller sea lions, and harbor seals are essentially year-round residents and are described in further detail below.
Academic text (2000) -
California sea lions range from southern Mexico to Vancouver Island, B.C. (Barlow et al., 1997; Lowry et al. 14).
Academic text (2000) -
Approximately 200-500 California sea lions were present along Washington's outer coast during most of the 1990s (NMFS, 1997a).
Academic text (2000) -
California sea lions are found in Oregon waters from mid-August through mid-June, absent only during the peak breeding season (Brown, 1997a).
Academic text (2000) -
An estimated 7,000-10,000 California sea lions likely pass through Oregon coastal waters during northward and southward migrations (Brown, 1997a).
Academic text (2000) -
The California sea lion's dietary and foraging strategy flexibility and adaptability are considered key elements in their recovery and continued population growth (Lowry et al., 1991; Melin et al., 2000).
Academic text (2000) -
The California sea lion is known for its intelligence and is frequently trained to perform tricks in marine shows.
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During the summer months, large groups of California sea lions can be seen lounging on the beaches of California.
Synonyms
19
1.4
A large seal with visible ears that lives in cold Pacific waters
A sea lion from the west coast of North America often trained for shows
A large brown sea animal like a seal that lives on the west coast of North America
Surface Forms
Morphology
California + sea + lion
The phrase is a straightforward place + noun composition: 'California' specifies the region and 'sea lion' names the animal, so a learner who knows those constituents will infer it refers to a species of sea lion found in California. This naming pattern (place + animal) is cross-linguistically common, making the meaning immediately transparent to B1 learners.
Etymology
California sea lion gets its name from where it lives and how it looks and sounds. 'California' points to the west coast where it lives, and sea lion was a simple picture for people: they bark like a dog and males have thick fur around the neck like a land 'lion', so the name now means the coastal sea lion species often seen on docks and in shows.