seahorse

noun

sea·​horse
plural seahorses
1
: walrus
2
: a mythical creature half horse and half fish
3
: any of a genus (Hippocampus of the family Syngnathidae) of small bony fishes that have the head angled downward toward the body which is carried vertically and are equipped with a prehensile tail

Illustration of seahorse

Illustration of seahorse
  • seahorse 3

Examples of seahorse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web While seahorses aren’t rare in Sydney dive sites, the seahorse’s striking red eye and posture captured the character of both the secretive seahorse and the murky waters of Sydney. Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 The private island resort is set on a marine reserve, which keeps the islands' reefs and marine life (including turtles, seahorses, and tropical fish) safe. Michelle Gross, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2023 But a surprising variety of creatures have evolved this unusual means of parental care, including crustaceans, seahorses—and frogs. Danna Staaf, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Nov. 2023 Animal lovers can choose to build a rainbow unicorn, and then transform it into a seahorse followed by a peacock. Brittany Vanderbill, Peoplemag, 27 Nov. 2023 But Painlevé wanted his audience to see the ocean as a world like our own; a world of dignified seahorses, stylish crabs, and seductive octopuses, the human condition rendered bubbling and bulbous. Hazlitt, 23 Nov. 2022 And my dinner party fact is that seahorses don't have stomachs. Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Aug. 2023 So a group of scientists in Australia recently released about 380 endangered white seahorses in Sydney Harbor. Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Aug. 2023 The first traveler, who arrived on Aug. 1 and was headed to Fairfax, Virginia, also had 77 dry seahorses, five jars of snail ointment and five dead snakes, officials said. Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'seahorse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of seahorse was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near seahorse

Cite this Entry

“Seahorse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seahorse. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sea horse

noun
1
: a mythical animal half horse and half fish
2
: a small fish with bony plates covering its body and a head that looks like a horse's head
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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