basking shark

American  

[bas-king, bah-sking] / ˈbæs kɪŋ, ˈbɑ skɪŋ /

noun

1. a large shark, Cetorhinus maximus, of cold and temperate seas, that often swims slowly or floats at the surface.

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basking shark British  

noun

1. Also called: sailfish.  a very large plankton-eating shark, Cetorhinus maximus , often floating at the sea surface: family Cetorhinidae

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Etymology

Origin of basking shark

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

basking shark

This group includes familiar species such as the great white shark, basking shark, and mako shark.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 8, 2026

The final section of amphibians, insects and fish, has: the Atlantic salmon, the basking shark, the buff-tailed bumblebee, the common frog, the Emperor dragonfly, and the marsh fritillary butterfly.

From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026

“Living gigantic sharks, such as the whale shark and basking shark, as well as many other gigantic aquatic vertebrates like whales have slender bodies because large stocky bodies are hydrodynamically inefficient for swimming,” Shimada said.

From Salon ● Mar. 10, 2025

Oregon's Department of Fish & Wildlife lists the salmon shark, spiny dogfish, soupfin shark, common thresher shark, basking shark, blue shark as native to its coastal waters, among others.

From Fox News ● Aug. 26, 2021

“The dorsal fin on a basking shark is rounded on top and convex in the back,” she said, making shapes with her hand.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen