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

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Cabo Nature offers whale-watching excursions aboard a 26-foot boat with an all-woman crew, where sightings of humpback whales pair with views of El Arco. Latifah Al Hazza, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Mar. 2026 The humpback whale is possibly the most accomplished vocalist in the ocean, and the songs come from a giant animal that can weigh more than 55,000 pounds. Patrick Whittle, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026 The humpback whale is possibly the most accomplished vocalist in the ocean, and those songs come from a giant animal that can weigh more than 55,000 pounds (24,947 kilograms). ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026 The song is that of a humpback whale, a marine giant beloved by whale watchers for its docile nature and spectacular leaps from the water, and was recorded by scientists in March 1949 in Bermuda, said researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Falmouth, Massachusetts. CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for humpback whale

Word History

First Known Use

1726, in the meaning defined above

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

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Cite this Entry

“Humpback whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humpback%20whale. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.

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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