English Explanatory Dictionary

sea calf

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Synonym of common seal (Phoca vitulina).
  2. the young of the manatee and dugong.

Word forms

sea calf sea calves sea calfs seacalf sea-calf

Etymology

From Middle English see calf, ultimately a calque of Latin vitulus marīnus (literally “sea calf”). Compare French veau marin and German Seekalb. See also Latin porcus marīnus (“porpoise”, literally “sea pork”), rāna marīna (“anglerfish”, literally “sea frog”), bōs marīna (“sea cow, dugong”), caballus marīnus (“seahorse”), canis marīnus (“seal”, synonym of vitulus marīnus, literally “sea dog”) and translingual Phoca vitulina (“calf-like seal, sea calf”). Equivalent to sea + calf.

Synonyms

common seal

Related words

sea cat sea cow sea dog sea hog sea pig seaswine sea horse sea lion
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