whaleboat

American

[hweyl-boht, weyl-] / ˈʰweɪlˌboʊt, ˈweɪl- /

noun

a long, narrow boat designed for quick turning and use in rough seas: formerly used in whaling, now mainly for sea rescue.

whaleboat British

/ ˈweɪlˌbəʊt /

noun

Also called: whaler. a narrow boat from 20 to 30 feet long having a sharp prow and stern, formerly used in whaling

"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 whaleboat

First recorded in 1665–75; whale ¹ + boat

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.

After each stop, the whaleboat would leave a little heavier, he recalled.

From Barron's • Oct. 13, 2025

The video may lack the literary depth of “Moby Dick,” but it is strong on action, and Polykrikos is arguably better armed than any whaleboat launched from Captain Ahab’s Pequod.

From New York Times • Mar. 31, 2017

In 1815, Captain James Kelly and his crew set off from Hobart to row a whaleboat around Tasmania.

From The Guardian • Jun. 11, 2013

A November 1880 issue of New Bedford’s Shipping News tells of Wood, at the bow of a whaleboat floating over an angry whale, losing his balance and tumbling headfirst into the mouth.

From Salon • Jun. 12, 2012

After a half an hour, we were approached by a whaleboat, also marked with a lantern upon her, and the two drifted without words until they were joined in comfortable parallel.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023