blue whale

noun

: a very large baleen whale (Balaenoptera musculus synonym Sibbaldus musculus) that may reach a weight of 150 tons (136 metric tons) and a length of 100 feet (30 meters) and is generally considered the largest living animal

Illustration of blue whale

Examples of blue whale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That is the equivalent of stacking 85,000 adult blue whales on a spoon. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 2 Oct. 2026

An unusual black box near the American Museum of Natural History’s (AMNH) iconic blue whale lures unsuspecting visitors to one of the museum’s most dramatic displays. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Aug. 2026

This spring, three blue whale carcasses washed up on the Newfoundland shore, spurring a panic about whale explosions. — Naomi Skwarna, hazlitt.net, 13 Aug. 2026

Gray whales migrate through the area between December and April every year, while humpbacks visit from spring through fall, and blue whales make their appearance from June through October. — Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 15 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for blue whale

• airmail
• assail
• avail
• bewail
• blackmail
• cattail
• cocktail
• curtail
• derail
• detail
• dovetail
• email

Kids Definition

blue whale

noun

: a whale that may reach a weight of 150 tons (135 metric tons) and a length of 100 feet (30 meters) and is generally considered the largest living animal