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

Enacted by Congress in 1973, the Endangered Species Act has been credited with saving animals including the California condor, grizzly bear and humpback whale. — CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026

Sharing the bill was David Rothenberg, a professor and a jazz musician who has improvised with collaborators including leafhoppers and humpback whales. — Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026

The town attracts visitors year-round to encounter sperm whales that can reach nearly 50 ft (15 m) in length, as well as humpback whales, pilot whales, orcas, and porpoises. — New Atlas, 28 Aug. 2026

Nearly an hour after a pod separated a humpback whale calf from its mother, the orcas resurfaced carrying their prey between them. — Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 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