Sea lion \Sea" li"on\ (Zo["o]l.) Any one of several large species of seals of the family {Otariid[ae]} native of the Pacific Ocean, especially the southern sea lion ({Otaria jubata}) of the South American coast; the northern sea lion ({Eumetopias Stelleri}) found from California to Japan; and the black, or California, sea lion ({Zalophus Californianus}), which is common on the rocks near San Francisco.