humpback whale

noun

: a large baleen whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) that is black above and white below and has very long flippers and fleshy tubercles along the snout

Illustration of humpback whale

Examples of humpback whale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Timmy, a humpback whale that was stranded several times in the Baltic Sea this year, captured worldwide interest during a controversial rescue effort. — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 22 June 2026

Though more commonly associated with their long migrations from Alaska to Hawaii or showing off for whale watchers off the coast of New England, a unique population of humpback whales call the Arabian Sea home. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 19 June 2026

Small dusky dolphins swarm the boat, riding its bow wave, while Hector’s dolphins, albatrosses, and humpback whales make cameos. — Steve Madgwick, Travel + Leisure, 18 June 2026

Fast-forward to today, as Arabian humpback whales navigate between sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and Beston’s prescient quote takes on new resonance. — The Los Angeles Times, Mercury News, 18 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1726, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for humpback whale

• abigail
• cottontail
• countervail
• fingernail
• martingale
• mesoscale
• microscale
• monorail
• nanoscale
• ponytail
• swallowtail
• wensleydale

Kids Definition

humpback whale

noun

: a large baleen whale that is black above and white below and has very long flippers