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humpback whale

American

[huhmp-bak hweyl, weyl] / ˈhʌmpˌbæk ˌʰweɪl, ˌweɪl /

noun

a large baleen whale of the genus Megaptera having long narrow flippers, and noted for its habit of arching deeply as it dives: an endangered species.

Etymology

Origin of humpback whale

First recorded in 1715–25

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A humpback whale stranded on Germany's Baltic Sea coast since early this week has freed itself and swum into deeper waters, rescuers said Friday.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

The study placed humpback whale bones on the deep ocean floor and monitored them for signs of life.

From Science Daily • Dec. 28, 2025

And a humpback whale that died after coming ashore near Thurso, in Caithness, in 2019 may have become entangled in fishing gear thousands of miles away.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2025

In February, two fisherman rescued a humpback whale found entangled in creel fishing gear off the coast of Skye.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2025

Arion jumped over a breaching humpback whale and kept galloping, startling a pack of seals off an iceberg.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023