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

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

A rare North Atlantic right whale was found dead this week off the coast of Georgia, the second fatality in recent weeks involving the critically endangered species, the federal agency that monitors the oceans said.

From New York Times • Feb. 15, 2024

Imagine the delight of the heroes of Amagansett, when they found that their prize was a right whale, with about 800 pounds of bone in his mouth.

From The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 19, March 18, 1897 A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls by Various