whale oil
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of whale oil
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50
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.
Then Yale chemist Benjamin Silliman Jr. showed how crude oil could be fractionated into various liquids, one of which was kerosene, an excellent illuminant that was much cheaper than whale oil.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
Some believed this clean-burning fuel might one day replace whale oil as America’s chief indoor lighting source.
From Barron's ● May 2, 2026
“It was a tinderbox,” Godfrey said, filled with steam-driven spinning machines that covered the floors with a combustible dust — in rooms lit by windows and candlelight, on machines lubricated by whale oil.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 1, 2022
Demand for whale oil dropped when petroleum, which had begun to supplant it around the mid-19th century, gained popularity.
From New York Times ● Sep. 7, 2022
Marble mermaids lit the way as Davos climbed, bowls of burning whale oil cradled in their arms.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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