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rorqual

American  
[rawr-kwuhl] / ˈrɔr kwəl /

noun

  1. any of several whales of the genus Balaenoptera; finback.


rorqual British  
/ ˈrɔːkwəl /

noun

  1. Also called: finback.  any of several whalebone whales of the genus Balaenoptera , esp B. physalus : family Balaenopteridae . They have a dorsal fin and a series of grooves along the throat and chest

"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 rorqual

1820–30; < French < Norwegian rørkval, Old Norse reytharhvalr, equivalent to reyth ( a ) r rorqual (akin to rauthr red 1 ) + hvalr whale 1

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.

She’d like to see a different family of whales examined for comparison, as the three individuals studied were all juvenile rorqual whales.

From National Geographic

New research provides a fuller understanding of this species, focusing on a foraging behavior called lunge-feeding that it shares with the other members of its cetacean group, the rorqual whales.

From Reuters

Lunge-feeding whales are also called rorqual whales and include two of the largest animals on Earth — the blue and fin whales.

From New York Times

Dozens of rorqual species have arisen and died off since the advent of lunge feeding.

From Scientific American

Like other rorqual whales, humpbacks’ throats expand in rubbery pleats reaching down to their navels.

From The Guardian