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prettygoodwordgrampus (GRAM-pus) - n., a gray dolphin (Grampus griseus) found throughout the northern seas, also called Risso's dolphin; any various related toothed cetaceans, esp. the orca (Orcinus orca); another name for the hellbender slamander of the eastern United States; another name for the giant whip scorpion (Mastigoproctus giganteus) of the southern United States.
A much-reused word. Originally apparently mostly applied to the orca, but distinguishing that from other delphinidae in early writings is not always possible. First attested with the spelling grampoys in the 1590s, alteration of earlier (from the 1520s) graundepos, itself an alteration (possibly influenced by grand) from Middle English graspeys, from Anglo-French grampais, from Old French graspois/craspois, meaning whale in general as well as (salted) whale meat/blubber, from from Medieval Latin craspicis, lit. great/fat fish, from Latin crassus, thick + piscis, fish. So using it for any whale makes legits sense.
---L.
A much-reused word. Originally apparently mostly applied to the orca, but distinguishing that from other delphinidae in early writings is not always possible. First attested with the spelling grampoys in the 1590s, alteration of earlier (from the 1520s) graundepos, itself an alteration (possibly influenced by grand) from Middle English graspeys, from Anglo-French grampais, from Old French graspois/craspois, meaning whale in general as well as (salted) whale meat/blubber, from from Medieval Latin craspicis, lit. great/fat fish, from Latin crassus, thick + piscis, fish. So using it for any whale makes legits sense.
---L.
