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

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

And from July to October, the waters also welcome humpback whales who arrive from Antarctica to mate and give birth in the warm waters. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2026

The area is also home to the rare Arabian Sea humpback whale. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026

That’s the message from NOAA Fisheries after many tuna fishermen reportedly trolled their gear too close to massive humpback whales. — Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 10 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