gray whale

American  

[grey hweyl, weyl] / ˈgreɪ ˈʰweɪl, ˈweɪl /

noun

1. a grayish-black baleen whale, Eschrichtius robustus, of the North Pacific, growing to a length of 50 feet (15.2 meters): an endangered species.

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Etymology

Origin of gray whale

First recorded in 1830–35

Example Sentences

Pass through those doors, and you used to see a gray wall decorated with signage pulled from storage — signs from events held at Dodger Stadium long ago, and others commemorating milestone seasons.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2025

The gray wall color happened to be a superb base, and the blue covered it in one coat with ease.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 23, 2023

The chair, a frequent studio prop of Hujar’s, is in a bare space, with a gray floor and a lighter gray wall.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2018

“All you see around you is a big gray wall, and a ship could appear out of it at any second and run you down.”

From New York Times • Nov. 8, 2016

The man’s body turned into a gray wall and then he was gone in a cloud of mist that washed over Mark.

From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner