sperm whale
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noun
a large, square-snouted whale, Physeter catodon, valued for its oil and spermaceti: now reduced in number and rare in some areas.
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Origin of sperm whale
First recorded in 1825–35
Words nearby sperm whale
spermophyte, spermotoxic, spermotoxin, spermous, sperm washing, sperm whale, Sperrin Mountains, Sperry, sperrylite, spessartite, speug
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for sperm whale
British Dictionary definitions for sperm whale
sperm whale
noun
a large toothed whale, Physeter catodon, having a square-shaped head and hunted for sperm oil, spermaceti, and ambergris: family PhyseteridaeAlso called: cachalot
Word Origin for sperm whale
C19: short for spermaceti whale
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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