right whale

American  

noun

1. any of several large whalebone whales of the genus Balaena, of circumpolar seas: the species B. glacialis is greatly reduced in numbers.

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right whale British  

noun

1. any large whalebone whale of the family Balaenidae. They are grey or black, have a large head, and, in most, no dorsal fin, and are hunted as a source of whalebone and oil See also bowhead

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Etymology

Origin of right whale

First recorded in 1715–25; allegedly so called because it was the “right” whale to hunt, alluding to its relative buoyancy when killed, proximity to land, the value of its blubber, etc.

Example Sentences

From Maine comes a bone from the endangered North Atlantic right whale.

From Barron's • Jul. 2, 2026

Other whale species include North Pacific gray whales, the North Atlantic right whale, minke, sperm, fin and bowhead whales.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2025

On the east coast, the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale is especially threatened by ship strikes.

From Science Magazine • Apr. 17, 2024

“The choice is simple: Vessels either slow down or the North Atlantic right whale goes extinct,” said Sarah Sharp, an animal rescue veterinarian with International Fund for Animal Welfare who assisted in the necropsy.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 4, 2024

It was doubtless feeding on the tiny marine creatures which are the sole food of the right whale.

From Swept Out to Sea Clint Webb Among the Whalers by Foster, W. Bertram