humpback whale

American

[huhmp-bak hwayl, wayl] / 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.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

humpback whales

plural

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.

See Examples For:

humpback whale

Biologists are hoping to save a humpback whale last seen entangled in a fishing net off the coast of San Pedro.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026

Nelmes said the way to spot a humpback whale was by the overall shape, white pectoral fins, and knobbly skin also known as barnacles, as well as the whales' behaviour.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

The encounter, documented by researchers from Griffith University and Sea World Foundation, raises the possibility that humpback whale mothers may experience grief when a calf dies.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026

The change is dramatic: ship-based surveys in the region did not record a single humpback whale sighting there until 2006.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

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

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