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

See Examples For:

right whale

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

But unlike other species of whales — such as humpbacks, gray whales and blue whales — populations of the North Pacific right whale have been much slower to recover.

From Seattle Times ● May 27, 2024

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

From Science Magazine ● Apr. 17, 2024

Captain Chase reported that my eldest son, Matthew Shore, was killed by the fluke of a right whale, at Christmas Island.

From All the Brothers Were Valiant by Williams, Ben Ames