hammerhead

noun

ham·​mer·​head ˈha-mər-ˌhed How to pronounce hammerhead (audio)
1
: the striking part of a hammer
2
3
: any of a family (Sphyrnidae) of active voracious medium-sized sharks that have the eyes at the ends of lateral extensions of the flattened head see shark illustration

Examples of hammerhead in a Sentence

we despair of ever getting those hammerheads to buckle their seat belts without prodding
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
World Wildlife Fund symbolic species adoptions ($60+) cover everything from hammerhead sharks to arctic wolves. Simon Hill, WIRED, 7 Dec. 2023 Tiger sharks, hammerheads, bull sharks and makos can be found swimming in the waters, according to Florida Shark Diving, a tour operator. Tom Howarth follow, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024 Latin America is known to be a global hub for small hammerhead shark species, and Sphyrna alleni ranges from Belize to Brazil. Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024 Periods of heavy rain in Houston drew out a rash of invasive and toxic hammerhead flatworms. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 29 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for hammerhead 

Word History

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hammerhead was in 1562

Dictionary Entries Near hammerhead

Cite this Entry

“Hammerhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hammerhead. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

hammerhead

noun
ham·​mer·​head ˈham-ər-ˌhed How to pronounce hammerhead (audio)
: any of various active sharks of medium size that have the eyes at the ends of sideward extensions of the flattened head

More from Merriam-Webster on hammerhead

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!