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

Illustration of humpback whale

Examples of humpback whale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Commercial whaling significantly reduced the number of humpback whales, according to the NOAA. USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024 Other factors may also have contributed to the humpback whales’ demise, including collisions with ships and entanglement in fishing gear. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 The social behavior of humpback whales has been studied and chronicled for decades. Matt Lavietes, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024 The project pulled together around 200,000 photos of humpback whales. Lauren Sommer, NPR, 29 Feb. 2024 Police opened the investigation into the encounter after video footage emerged on social media showed a watercraft – with its engine still running – come within about 15 meters (50 feet) of a humpback whale. Alessandra Castelli, CNN, 28 Feb. 2024 Photos: Humpback whale washes up on Virginia Beach Are humpback whales endangered? USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024 After decades of whaling decimated their numbers, humpback whales have made a remarkable comeback. Lauren Sommer, NPR, 29 Feb. 2024 Those fish, in turn, provided fewer calories for humpback whales, seabirds and other marine creatures that depend on them for energy. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'humpback whale.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1726, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of humpback whale was in 1726

Dictionary Entries Near humpback whale

Cite this Entry

“Humpback whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humpback%20whale. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

humpback whale

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

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