Also 8 walrous, wallross, pl. walrosses, 9 -russes. [probably a. Du. walrus (walros). Compare (i) LG. walross, G. walross (earlier also walruss, walrusch), Sw. hvalross, valross (valruss), Da. hvalros (earlier also hvalrusk), walrus; (ii) OE. horschwæl, early mod.G. rosswal, russwal, Norw. russhval, walrus, ? OFr. rohal, rohart, rochal (whence med.L. rohanlum, -allum) walrus-ivory; see RUEL.
The forms under (i) appear to be later than those under (ii) from which they perh. arose (? in Du.) by metathesis on some analogy such as that of Du. walvisch whale.
The interpretation of formation (ii) as ‘horse-whale’ (zoologically improbable) appears to be only one of the various popular etymologies that have influenced the forms of the word. Ultimately a confusion, either within or outside the Scandinavian languages, has perhaps taken place between ON. hrosshvalr a kind of whale, and rosmhvalr walrus. The latter is related obscurely to ON. rosmall, Norw. rosmaal, rosmaar, Da. rosmær; -er, -ar walrus, whence the scientific specific name rosmarus. See ROSMARINE2. Some scholars have connected rosm- with ON., Icel. rostungr walrus, and assumed relationship of both with ON. rauðr RED. (Cf. RORQUAL and OHG. ros(a)mo redness.) This is zoologically possible, but it seems more likely that rosm- is a corruption of some non-Teut. word: cf. MORSE.]
1. The sea-horse, or morse (Trichechus rosmarus), a carnivorous pinniped marine mammal allied to the Phocidae (seals), and Otariidae (sea-lions), and chiefly distinguished by two tusks (exserted upper canine teeth). It inhabits the Arctic seas. A variety found in the N. Pacific has sometimes received the distinct specific name obesus.
[c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., I. 1 § 15. For þæm horschwælum, for ðæm hie habbað swiþe æþele ban on hiora toþum.
1655. O. Worm, Mus., III. xv. 289. Animal … quod Anglis & Russis WALRUS, aliis MORS, Danis & Islandis ROSMARUS vocatur.
1693. Ray, Syn. Anim. Quadr., etc., 191. Anglis Mors à Russis mutuato nomine. Belgis Walrus…. The Morse or Sea Horse.]
1728. J. Woodward, Catal. Fossils, II. Foreign, II. 22. A Tusk of the Morse, or Walrous, call’d by some the Sea-Horse.
1752. Hill, Hist. Anim., 555. The Phoca, with the canine teeth exerted. The Walrus.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 75. The seals, walrosses, and cod, caught in the Russian seas, are likewise very important articles.
1833. Sir C. Bell, Hand (1834), 109. The bones of the morse or walrus … are remarkably complete, if we consider the peculiar appearance of the feet in the living animal.
1856. Kane, Arctic Expl., I. xiii. 140. The last remnant of walrus did not leave us until the temperature had sunk below zero.
1888. Encycl. Brit., XXIV. 337/2. The tusks are formidable weapons of defence, but their principal use seems to be digging … for the molluscs and crustaceans on which the walrus feeds.
† 2. Indian walrus: the DUGONG. Obs.
1771. Pennant, Syr. Quadr., 338. Indian Walrus.
3. attrib. and Comb. as walrus-beef, -boat, calf, -fishing, -hide, -ivory.
1856. Kane, Arctic Expl., I. xxviii. 366. Laden with … as much *walrus-beef … as would pay for their board.
1884. Pall Mall Gaz., 15 Aug., 6/1. Each *walrus-boat carried six men.
1895. Cosmopolitan, XX. 356/2. Old Ickwa put his hand on me, at the same time pointing to the *walrus calf, and said ‘pee-yuk!’
1820. W. Scoresby, Acc. Arctic Reg., II. 5. *Walrus-fishing in succeeding years in high northern latitudes.
1862. Catal. Internat. Exhib., Brit., II. No. 4638. Patent *walrus-hide belting.
1875. Maskell, Ivories, 2. In quality and beauty of appearance *walrus ivory scarcely yields to that of the elephant.
