whale

1 of 3

noun

plural whales
often attributive
1
or plural whale : any of various very large, aquatic, marine mammals (order Cetacea) that have a torpedo-shaped body with a thick layer of blubber, paddle-shaped forelimbs but no hind limbs, a horizontally flattened tail, and nostrils that open externally at the top of the head
2
: one that is impressive especially in size
a whale of a difference
a whale of a good time
whalelike adjective

whale

2 of 3

verb (1)

whaled; whaling

intransitive verb

: to engage in whale fishing

whale

3 of 3

verb (2)

whaled; whaling

transitive verb

1
2
: to strike or hit vigorously
3
: to defeat soundly

Examples of whale in a Sentence

Noun a whale of a pickup truck Verb (2) whaled the ball so hard that it sailed over the fence and into the neighbor's yard whaled the rug with a broom to knock the dirt out of it mercilessly whaled the pickpocket for stealing from her purse
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! Allen, similar to Grant, described his deep passion for the ocean and hard-to-describe connection with whales. Skyler Caruso, People.com, 18 July 2025 Start with what stirs the soul — the iridescence of a bioluminescent reef, the sound of a whale’s song echoing across hemispheres, the eerie quiet of deep space. Melissa Jun Rowley, Rolling Stone, 17 July 2025 As to why this whale chose to hang out in the busy harbor, the organization offered a theory. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 16 July 2025 Where will broken windmills be taken or will they just be allowed to stand broken and ugly? And what about the question about the real effect of windmills on the ocean’s creatures, especially the whales? Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for whale

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hwæl; akin to Old High German hwal whale and perhaps to Latin squalus sea fish

Verb (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

1700, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

circa 1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of whale was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whale. Accessed 27 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

whale

1 of 3 noun
ˈhwā(ə)l How to pronounce whale (audio)
ˈwā(ə)l
plural whales or whale
1
: a water-dwelling mammal (as a humpback whale or a killer whale) that is a cetacean of usually very large size with a torpedo-shaped body, front limbs modified into flippers but no hind limbs, and a tail flattened and extended to the sides as flukes and that usually breathes through an opening on top of the head compare baleen whale, toothed whale
2
: something large enough to catch attention
it made a whale of a difference

whale

2 of 3 verb
whaled; whaling
: to hunt whales

whale

3 of 3 verb
whaled; whaling
1
2
: to hit hard
whaled the ball
Etymology

Noun

Old English hwæl "whale"

Verb

origin unknown

More from Merriam-Webster on whale

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