monk seal

monk seal
noun
: any of several hair seals (genus Monachus) known from the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and Hawaii but once so extensively hunted for hides and oil that they are now rare in much of their former range

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a small, dark brown, subtropical seal of the genus Monachus: the three species, M. tropicalis of the Caribbean, M. schauinslandi of Hawaiian island regions, and M. monachus of the Mediterranean, are endangered.
[1835-45; appar. trans. of the NL genus name Monachus (see MONK), orig. a specific name (Phoca monacha), prob. in allusion to the animal's gray coloration and isolated breeding sites; cf. F moine, It monaco the monk seal, lit., monk]

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monk seal noun
A seal (Monachus albiventer) of the Black Sea, Mediterranean, and NW Africa, dark grey above, light underneath
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Main Entry: ↑monk

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n. a seal with a dark back and pale underside, occurring in warm waters of the northern hemisphere. ● Genus Monachus, family Phocidae: two or three species, including M. tropicalis of the Caribbean and the endangered M. monachus of the Mediterranean and adjacent seas

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Monk seal — Monk Monk, n. [AS. munuc, munec, munc, L. monachus, Gr. ?, fr. mo nos alone. Cf. {Monachism}.] 1. A man who retires from the ordinary temporal concerns of the world, and devotes himself to religion; one of a religious community of men inhabiting… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • monk seal — monk′ seal n. zool. mam any of several small earless seals of the subtropical genus Monachus[/ex] …   From formal English to slang

  • monk seal — a small, dark brown, subtropical seal of the genus Monachus: the three species, M. tropicalis of the Caribbean, M. schauinslandi of Hawaiian island regions, and M. monachus of the Mediterranean, are endangered. [1835 45; appar. trans. of the NL… …   Universalium

  • monk seal — Viduržemio jūros ruonis vienuolis statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Monachus monachus angl. Mediterranean monk seal; Mediterranean seal; monk seal; pied seal vok. Mittelmeer Mönchsrobbe;… …   Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas

  • monk seal — noun A seal of the genus Monachus …   Wiktionary

  • monk seal — noun a seal with a dark back and pale underside, occurring in warm waters of the northern hemisphere. [Genus Monachus.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • monk seal — noun Date: 1841 any of a genus (Monachus) of hair seals of Hawaii, the Mediterranean Sea, and formerly the Caribbean Sea …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Hawaiian monk seal — Conservation status Critically Endangered ( …   Wikipedia

  • Mediterranean Monk Seal — Conservation status …   Wikipedia

  • Hawaiian Monk Seal — Taxobox name = Hawaiian Monk Seal status = EN trend = unknown status system = iucn2.3 image width = 250px regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Mammalia ordo = Carnivora familia = Phocidae genus = Monachus species = M. schauinslandi… …   Wikipedia

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