whale shark

noun

1. a tropical shark, Rhincodon typus, ranging in size from 30 to 60 feet (9 to 18 meters), having small teeth and a sievelike structure over its gills for catching plankton.

whale shark

noun

1. a large spotted whalelike shark, Rhincodon typus, of warm seas, that feeds on plankton and small animals: family Rhincodontidae

Word History and Origins

Origin of whale shark¹

First recorded in 1880–85