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Glite Dictionary
📖 A genus name 🐋 A whale genus
Orcinus

Orcinus

1 9.7
A group of sea mammals that includes the killer whale or orca
  • proper noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Orcinus
  • The documentary highlighted the fascinating behaviors of Orcinus orca as they hunt in pods.
  • Orcinus orca
  • killer whale (Orcinus)
  • Orcinus whale

Examples

  • Killer whales, Orcinus orca, sometimes prey on belugas in Cook Inlet, although the extent of predation is unknown (Morris n11).

    Academic text (2000)

  • The ancient Romans called him Orca Orcinus..

    Orca (1977)

  • Evidence of ice entrapment and predation by killer whales, Orcinus orca, has been documented in almost every bowhead whale stock.

    Academic text (1995)

  • How about the Arizona anti-immigrant activist woman who stormed into the home of a Mexican-American family and killed a little girl several years ago, an event I didn't know about until I clicked the Orcinus link above two days ago?

    Blog text (10)

  • During our boat trip, we saw a family of Orcinus orca swimming gracefully beside us.

  • Researchers are studying the social structures of Orcinus orca to learn more about their communication.

Synonyms

genus Orcinus
vsOrcinus
  • Specialized
8.7

A group of sea mammals that includes the killer whale

is the identical name written as a single scientific word

Compounds

Orcinus orca
  • Specialized
1 6.0

A large black-and-white whale with teeth and a tall fin that hunts in groups

genus Orcinus
  • Specialized
8.7

A group of sea mammals that includes the killer whale

Surface Forms

Orcinus main

Etymology

Orcinus comes from Latin and is linked to orca ('whale') and to Orcus ('a god of the underworld'), giving the idea of a powerful, dark sea creature. So the name fits the killer whale and is why scientists used it for the genus that contains orcas.