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

A humpback whale has freed itself from a sandbank near the German coastal city of Lübeck, after a series of rescue attempts.

From BBC

Rescuers are continuing to try and save a stranded humpback whale off Germany's north coast.

From BBC

About a dozen species of marine mammals are also found there, including humpback whales and whale sharks.

From Barron's

Researchers analyzed nearly 20 years of data from humpback whales that breed in the waters around New Caledonia in the South Pacific.

From Science Daily

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