Definition of ORCA

orca

Plural: orca, orcas

Noun

  • Another name for an orc, specifically a killer whale.
  • predatory black-and-white toothed whale with large dorsal fin; common in cold seas
  • A sea mammal (Orcinus orca) related to dolphins and porpoises, commonly called the killer whale.

Examples

  • The player confidently placed ORCA, knowing it was a valid and high-scoring two-point word.

Origin / Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin orca (“tun, cask; whale”), see there for more. Although the origin is obscure, the sometimes-cited association with orcus (“underworld”) is folk-etymology. Doublet of orc.

Synonyms

grampus, killer, killer whale, Orcinus orca, sea wolf, blackfish

Scrabble Score: 6

orca: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
orca: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
orca: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 7

orca: valid Words With Friends Word