Meanings
nounwalrus operator (plural walrus operators)
plural walrus operators
- informalcomputingThe operator := that assigns values to variables in certain programming languages, such as Python.
Origin
The notation := humorously reinterpreted as the face of a walrus, with two eyes and two tusks.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
walrus operator. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/walrus%20operator
MLA
“walrus operator.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/walrus%20operator. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “walrus operator,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/walrus%20operator.
Source: walrus operator on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.