humpback

American  

[huhmp-bak] / ˈhʌmpˌbæk /

noun

humpbacks plural

1. a back that is humped in a convex position.

2. kyphosis.

3. the humpback whale.

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humpback British  

/ ˈhʌmpˌbæk /

noun

1. another word for hunchback

2. Also called: humpback whale.  a large whalebone whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, closely related and similar to the rorquals but with a humped back and long flippers: family Balaenopteridae

3. a Pacific salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, the male of which has a humped back and hooked jaws

4. Also called: humpback bridge.  a road bridge having a sharp incline and decline and usually a narrow roadway

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• humpbacked
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• humpbacks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of humpback

First recorded in 1690–1700; apparently back formation from humpbacked

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

humpback humpbacks

A handful of California species recoveries have been championed as success stories under the Endangered Species Act, including southern sea otters, peregrine falcons, humpback whales, bald eagles and green sea turtles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026

The carcass of a dead humpback whale whose attempted rescue captivated many across Germany has been pulled ashore.

From BBC ● May 31, 2026

They say the barriers kill local endangered species like the Indian Ocean humpback dolphin and the leatherback turtle, and they’re not that good at keeping out sharks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026

They "may even carry new song styles from one region to another –- humpback whale songs are known to spread culturally across ocean basins, much like music trends in human populations".

From Barron's ● May 20, 2026

Then the humpback bounded forward, and as the ship reached the cliff face, he jumped up and suddenly there was a rope in his hand.

From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman

First it was photographed off the coast of Bahia, Brazil in 2003 with eight other adult humpbacks.

From Barron's ● May 20, 2026

Humans once hunted humpbacks to the edge of extinction, but their numbers have rebounded in recent decades.

From Barron's ● May 20, 2026

There were 34 whale entanglements, including 29 humpbacks, recorded off the Pacific Coast in 2024, a six-year high, according to preliminary data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2025

The most common place for sightings was St Martin's with a number of humpbacks spotted there.

From BBC ● Jan. 9, 2025

“Those are the humpbacks after herring. They’re following their instincts. Every spring they migrate up from calving grounds in Hawaii.”

From "Touching Spirit Bear" by Ben Mikaelsen