pilot whale

American

noun

a small, common whale, Globicephala sieboldii, of tropical and temperate seas, having a bulbous head.

pilot whale British

noun

Also called: black whale. blackfish. any of several black toothed whales of the genus Globicephala, such as G. melaena, that occur in all seas except polar seas: family Delphinidae

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of pilot whale

First recorded in 1865–70

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:

pilot whale

Scientists have observed orcas mismothering before—an orca took in a baby pilot whale in 2021, for instance—but in these prior cases, the animal usually survives.

From National Geographic ● Oct. 30, 2023

Mr Kitchener added that the discovery means it can no longer be assumed that every stranded pilot whale in Britain is a long-finned pilot whale.

From BBC ● Jan. 27, 2023

A pilot whale — technically a kind of dolphin — may be up to 20 feet long and weigh as much as two tons.

From New York Times ● Sep. 23, 2022

“This is a fabulous treat for those who want us badly when it comes to pilot whale catching.”

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 14, 2021

Flippers one-sixth of body length, or less.Short-finned pilot whale, p.

From Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of the Western North Atlantic A Guide to Their Identification by David Caldwell

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