great white shark

American

noun

a large shark, Carcharodon carcharias, of tropical and temperate seas, known to occasionally attack swimmers.

Etymology

Origin of great white shark

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

California’s deeper and colder waters are home to larger species, such as the great white shark.

From Los Angeles Times

Research shows that great white sharks have a hunting tactic called breaching, which involves them rising quickly to hit surface-dwelling prey, such as seals, to shock them before biting them.

From Los Angeles Times

They say some of the most threatened species - including great white sharks - are being sold in North African fish markets.

From BBC

In today’s oceans, food chains typically reach only six levels, with animals such as killer whales and great white sharks sitting at the top.

From Science Daily

It was a comment that has left fat cats like the Dodgers and New York Mets salivating at the possibility of reeling in the baseball equivalent of a great white shark before opening day.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023