Illustration of narwhal
narwhal
noun
nar·whal ˈnär-ˌ(h)wäl 
-wəl
variants or less commonly narwhale
ˈnär-ˌwāl
-ˌ(h)wāl
: an arctic cetacean (Monodon monoceros) that reaches a length of about 16 feet (5 meters) and possesses in the male one or rarely two long, spirally twisted, pointed tusks
Note: Although the narwhal is classified as a toothed whale (suborder Odontoceti), it does not possess any teeth in its mouth.
Did you know?
The narwhal is a toothed whale found throughout arctic waters. Its Latin binomial, Monodon monoceros, is derived from the Greek words for "single-toothed" and "single-horned." Its English name (also sometimes spelled narwhale) comes from the Norwegian and Danish narvhal and the Swedish narval, words which are probably a modification of the Icelandic nárhvalur, which comes from the Old Norse nāhvalr. In Old Norse hvalr means "whale" and is akin to the Old English hwæl, the ancestor of the Modern English whale. The first element of nāhvalr is believed to be nār, the Old Norse word for "corpse," from the resemblance of the animal's color to that of a human corpse.
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web For Inuit communities, the narwhal is understood through a myth. 
Meghan Willcoxon, Journal Sentinel, 11 July 2022 Friedrich Nietzsche was not a narwhal, and never will be. David P. Barash, WSJ, 20 July 2022 And that’s how the narwhal got its tusk, Atencio said. Meghan Willcoxon, Journal Sentinel, 11 July 2022 In her singular imaginings, mermaids swim up to watch TV news about their planet, ships play tag with giant squid, and humans get up close and personal with a purple narwhal with blue wings. New York Times, 1 June 2022 The narwhal was first spotted after scientists at the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM) used a drone to study social behaviors in beluga whales. Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Mar. 2022 It is currently not known if the narwhal can understand beluga vocalizations, per CBC. Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Mar. 2022 Researchers suspect breeding is a possibility because of how bonded the narwhal is to the pod of belugas. Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Mar. 2022 Finally, private citizens can play a role in protecting the narwhal when visiting the Arctic. Ashley Stimpson, Popular Mechanics, 7 Jan. 2022 See More
Meghan Willcoxon, Journal Sentinel, 11 July 2022 Friedrich Nietzsche was not a narwhal, and never will be. David P. Barash, WSJ, 20 July 2022 And that’s how the narwhal got its tusk, Atencio said. Meghan Willcoxon, Journal Sentinel, 11 July 2022 In her singular imaginings, mermaids swim up to watch TV news about their planet, ships play tag with giant squid, and humans get up close and personal with a purple narwhal with blue wings. New York Times, 1 June 2022 The narwhal was first spotted after scientists at the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM) used a drone to study social behaviors in beluga whales. Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Mar. 2022 It is currently not known if the narwhal can understand beluga vocalizations, per CBC. Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Mar. 2022 Researchers suspect breeding is a possibility because of how bonded the narwhal is to the pod of belugas. Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Mar. 2022 Finally, private citizens can play a role in protecting the narwhal when visiting the Arctic. Ashley Stimpson, Popular Mechanics, 7 Jan. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Norwegian & Danish narhval & Swedish narval, probably modification of Icelandic nárhvalur, from Old Norse nāhvalr, from nār corpse + hvalr whale; from its color
First Known Use
1646, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
narwhal
noun
nar·whal ˈnär-ˌhwäl
-ˌwäl
: an arctic marine animal that is related to dolphins and whales and in the male has a long twisted ivory tusk