beluga

noun

be·​lu·​ga bə-ˈlü-gə 

1

: a large white sturgeon (Huso huso) of the Black Sea, Caspian Sea, and their tributaries

also : caviar processed from beluga roe compare osetra, sevruga

2

[Russian belukha, from belyĭ] : a toothed whale (Delphinapterus leucas) of arctic and subarctic waters having a fusiform body that is about 10 to 15 feet (3.0 to 5.0 meters) long and white when mature

called also white whale

Illustration of beluga

• beluga 2

Examples of beluga in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Twenty whales — one killer whale and 19 belugas — have died at the Niagara Falls, Ontario, tourist attraction since 2019, according to a database created by The Canadian Press news agency based on internal documents and official statements. —CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025

Whales like the beluga are at the top of the food chain and play an important role in the overall health of the marine environment. —Sherry Cox, The Conversation, 26 Sep. 2025

The itinerary includes 33 sea days, plus polar bear and beluga spotting under the Northern Lights, Zodiac boat excursions in Arctic waters, and submarine dives in both hemispheres. —India Brown, Robb Report, 31 July 2025

Harvesting beluga caviar requires a decade of waiting. —Kylie Williams, Miami Herald, 29 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Russian, from belyĭ white; akin to Greek phalios having a white spot — more at bald

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for beluga

• pseudotsuga
• tsuga

Kids Definition

beluga

noun

be·​lu·​ga bə-ˈlü-gə 

: a toothed whale that becomes 10 to 15 feet (3.0 to 5.0 meters) long and white when adult

called also beluga whale

Etymology

from earlier beluga "a white sturgeon," from Russian beluga (same meaning), from belyǐ "white"