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fin whale
noun
: a baleen whale (Balaenoptera physalus) that may attain a length of over 70 feet (21 meters) and is found chiefly in subtropical to arctic and antarctic waters worldwide
called also finback
Examples of fin whale in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Iceland is the only country that allows whaling of the endangered fin whale, the second-largest whale species.
—Andrew Chapman, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 May 2024
Whale watchers also got to see a pod of 200 common dolphins, 13 endangered fin whales, a minke whale and four humpback whales in total.
—Helena Wegner, Sacramento Bee, 23 Apr. 2024
Also spotted were fin whales, minke whales and dolphins on Sunday, April 21 – a display that couldn’t have been better choreographed to celebrate Earth Day, several people commented.
—Erika I. Ritchie, Orange County Register, 21 Apr. 2024
The 46-foot-long fin whale, which was dead when discovered, is one of roughly 11,000 species members in the region.
—Li Cohen, CBS News, 14 Feb. 2024
In 2019, a fin whale beached itself along the Gulf of California in Mexico.
—Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024
The population of fin whales on the West Coast is an estimated 8,000, the Statesman Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported.
—USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2024
Two of the dead whales – a right whale that washed up on Martha's Vineyard and a fin whale that washed up this week on the Oregon coast – were entangled in fishing gear, which federal officials, who are investigating the deaths, say is a leading cause of whale deaths.
—USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2024
Baleen whales—filter feeders that include blue whales, fin whales and humpback whales—make noises via a larynx, or voice box.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fin 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
1885, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near fin whale
Cite this Entry
“Fin whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fin%20whale. Accessed 17 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
fin whale
noun
: a baleen whale that may reach a length of over 70 feet (21 meters)
More from Merriam-Webster on fin whale
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fin whale
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