minke

American  

[ming-kee] / ˈmɪŋ ki /

noun

1. a dark-colored baleen whale, Baleanoptera acutorostrata, inhabiting temperate and polar seas and growing to a length of 33 feet (10 meters): reduced in numbers.

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Etymology

Origin of minke

1930–35; < Norwegian minkehval, allegedly after a crew member of the Norwegian whaling pioneer Svend Foyn (1809–94), named Meincke, who mistook a pod of minkes for blue whales

Example Sentences

The study, published in Scientific Reports, found a steep rise in strandings involving common dolphins and baleen whales - filter-feeding species that include minke and humpback whales.

From BBC • Aug. 20, 2025

A minke whale has beached and died at Portstewart Strand in County Londonderry.

From BBC • May 26, 2025

Despite recent efforts by marine wildlife experts to reroute the animal to deeper waters, the minke whale was found dead on Sunday, officials confirmed.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2025

Earlier this month, a minke whale that spent days swimming in Long Beach Harbor died — despite efforts by marine wildlife experts to reroute it back to deeper waters.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2025

Within their range, they may be confused at a distance with minke whales, with sperm whales, or perhaps with North Sea beaked whales.

From Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of the Western North Atlantic A Guide to Their Identification by Caldwell, David