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Definition of steller sea lion

steller sea lion

Plural:Steller sea lions
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• noun

1

A large species of sea lion native to the northern Pacific Ocean, recognized as the largest of the eared seals and characterized by a robust body, a light yellowish to tawny coat, and a distinctive deep roar.

Example

"During our coastal wildlife tour in Alaska, we observed a massive male Steller sea lion resting on a rocky outcrop."

Photo by Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0

Word Nuance & Usage

Always capitalized as 'Steller sea lion' because of its namesake. It is occasionally confused with the California sea lion but can be distinguished by its much larger size, broader snout, and lighter, tawny coat.

• Nearby Words

stejneger pit viper
stella
stellar
steller sea lion
stem
stemless
stemlike

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Steller sea lion. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/steller-sea-lion
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