blowhole

[bloh-hohl]

noun

1. an air or gas vent, especially one to carry off fumes from a tunnel, underground passage, etc.

2. either of two nostrils or spiracles, or a single one, at the top of the head in whales and other cetaceans, through which they breathe.

3. a hole in the ice to which whales or seals come to breathe.

4. Metallurgy.,  a defect in a casting or ingot caused by the escape of gas.

5. Geology.,  a hole in a sea cliff or coastal terrace through which columns of spray are jetted upward.

blowhole

/ ˈbləʊˌhəʊl /

noun

1. the nostril, paired or single, of whales, situated far back on the skull

2. a hole in ice through which whales, seals, etc, breathe

3. 1. a vent for air or gas, esp to release fumes from a tunnel, passage, etc

   2. a hole emitting gas or steam in a volcanic region

4. a bubble-like defect in an ingot resulting from gas being trapped during solidification

5. geology a hole in a cliff top leading to a sea cave through which air is forced by the action of the sea

Word History and Origins

Origin of blowhole¹

First recorded in 1685–95; blow ² + hole

Example Sentences

Farther off, whales blew jets of water from their blowholes like smoke from the smokestack of a Bloomer steam locomotive.

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He explains that the ideal position for the tag was directly behind the blowhole and oriented toward the head so it could capture feeding activity during deep dives.

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At the same time, the whales blew air from their blowholes, and a dense layer of bubbles surged upward, forcing the robots into the tidal wave’s path.

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There was a loud burst, and mist shot up from a blowhole.

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Like the blue whale, fin whales are balleens, sporting two blowholes and, instead of teeth, hundreds of rows of baleen plates made of keratin.

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