ˈwȯlrəs, ˈwäl- noun
( plural walrus or walruses )
Etymology: Dutch walrus, walros, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish & Norwegian hvalros walrus, Old Norse rosmhvalr walrus, hvalr whale — more at whale
1. : either of two large marine mammals (family Odobenidae) that may exceed a ton in weight and are hunted for the tough heavy hide, the ivory tusks, the oil yielded by the blubber, and locally for the flesh:
a. : a mammal ( Odobenus rosmarus ) of the northwestern Atlantic and Arctic oceans — called also Atlantic walrus
b. : a mammal ( O. divergens ) of the Bering sea and the Arctic coasts of Alaska and Siberia that is sometimes held to be a variety of the Atlantic walrus — called also Pacific walrus
2. : the hide of the walrus used especially for covering buffing wheels or split and tanned and used for luggage leather