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

See Examples For:

gray whale

My first gray whale sighting was entirely accidental.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

Over the past decade, gray whale numbers have plunged by about half from 26,000, McCauley said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

That trouble becomes imminent for humans, too, when a 30-40 tonne gray whale begins floating in the bay, as happened earlier this year.

From BBC ● Apr. 19, 2026

A 40-ton gray whale surfaced beside me — spy-hopping, they call it — her towering grace lifting from the water, close enough that I could see the walnut shine of her left eye.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 25, 2025

I strain my eyes, hoping for another gray whale sighting.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy