bowhead

American  

[boh-hed] / ˈboʊˌhɛd /

noun

1. a baleen whale, Balaena mysticetus, of northern seas, having an enormous head and mouth: an endangered species.

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bowhead British  

/ ˈbəʊˌhɛd /

noun

1. a large-mouthed arctic whale, Balaena mysticetus , that has become rare through overfishing but is now a protected species

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Etymology

Origin of bowhead

First recorded in 1885–90; bow ² + head

Example Sentences

Other whale species include North Pacific gray whales, the North Atlantic right whale, minke, sperm, fin and bowhead whales.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2025

Twenty-five years ago, scientists working with Indigenous whale hunters in the Arctic showed that bowhead whales could live up to and even over 200 years.

From Salon • Dec. 27, 2024

Like bowhead and right whales, these were also almost wiped out by whaling.

From Salon • Dec. 27, 2024

One solution would be to establish speed limits in bowhead whale seasonal habitat, reducing the risk of ship strikes and noise pollution, she said.

From Science Daily • Feb. 21, 2024

Note also the absence of the vest of white on the chin, a feature which is characteristic of the bowhead whale.

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