Etymology Map
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Narwhal

3 stages from Old Norse to English.

Today it means an Arctic whale whose male has a long spiral tusk

Where does the word "narwhal" come from? It comes from Old Norse nárhvalr, passing through Danish before entering English (1650s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
nárhvalr
Old Norse · medieval
"corpse whale"
'corpse whale', from 'nár', corpse, perhaps for its pale mottled skin
2
Stage 2 of 3
narhval
Danish · 1600s
"narwhal"
Danish traders sold its tusks across Europe as unicorn horns
3
Stage 3 of 3
narwhal
English · 1650s
"tusked whale"
borrowed through Danish and Dutch whaling accounts
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Read the full story

Narwhal’s story begins in Old Norse: nárhvalr meant “corpse whale.” 'corpse whale', from 'nár', corpse, perhaps for its pale mottled skin. By 1600s, the word had taken hold in Danish as narhval. Danish traders sold its tusks across Europe as unicorn horns. It reached English by 1650s as narwhal. Borrowed through Danish and Dutch whaling accounts. Today, narwhal means an Arctic whale whose male has a long spiral tusk.