Showing results for humpback whale. Search instead for finback+whale.

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

A humpback whale has made one of the longest and most unusual migrations ever recorded, possibly driven by climate change, scientists say.

From BBC • Dec. 10, 2024

Best of all was the humpback whale Jackson spotted a couple of years ago.

From "I Survived the Great Alaska Earthquake, 1964" by Lauren Tarshis

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