Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
earless seal

earless seal

7.7
A sea animal with no outside ear flaps and back flippers for swimming
  • noun
  • /ˈɪr.ləs siːl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : foca sin orejas
  • Researchers spotted several earless seals swimming near the ice floes.

Examples

  • The earless seal is well adapted to life in cold polar regions.

  • The earless seal is an amazing swimmer.

  • Unlike sea lions, the earless seal has no external ear flaps.

  • Did you see the earless seals at the aquarium?

  • The earless seal is known for its streamlined body and ability to swim gracefully in cold waters.

  • Researchers studied the behavior of the earless seal while it hunted for fish in the ocean.

  • During the summer, we often see earless seals resting on the rocky shores of the coastline.

Synonyms

true seal
vsearless seal
  • Specialized
6.5

A sea mammal without visible ears, with fur and back flippers for swimming

is a more descriptive label highlighting external ear loss and limb modification
hair seal
vsearless seal
  • Specialized
7.3

A sea animal with no outer ears, a stiff coat of hair, and back legs like flippers

emphasizes lack of external ear flaps and limb adaptation rather than coat texture

Antonyms

eared seal
5.2

A sea mammal with visible ear flaps that walks on land, like sea lions and fur seals

Surface Forms

earless seal singular
earless seals plural

Morphology

earless + seal

The noun is compositionally built from 'earless' (without visible/external ears) and 'seal' (a marine mammal), so its meaning 'a seal without external ear flaps' is directly derivable from the parts. This is a productive, literal compounding pattern common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily understand the term.

Etymology

Earless seal: The noun earless seal names a kind of seal with 'no outside ear flaps', so the word earless points to that simple picture. Because their heads are smooth and they are made for swimming, they look different from sea lions, and the name means a seal without visible ears.