humpback

noun

hump·back | \ˈhəmp-ˌbak,

for sense 1 also -ˈbak\

Definition of humpback

1 : a humped or crooked back also : kyphosis

2 : hunchback sense 1

3 : humpback whale

4 : pink salmon

Examples of humpback in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

During the 1930s, the authors write, approximately 50,000 fin, humpback, and blue whales were hunted. — Cathleen O'grady, Ars Technica, "Whales are stressed out by climate change, and it shows in their earwax," 16 Nov. 2018 Whale watchers have close call with humpback in Alaska. — Fox News, "FOX NEWS FIRST: Trump Organization may face charges over Cohen hush money; Trump vs. Sessions escalates," 24 Aug. 2018 Only one baleen whale species, a humpback, was observed grieving. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Study Suggests Dolphins and Some Whales Grieve Their Dead," 20 June 2018 In September 2017, a charter company encountered a nearly 50-foot humpback carcass floating off Kimberley, in western Australia. — National Geographic, "Sharks and Crocodile Feast on Dead Whale in First-Ever Video," 25 Apr. 2018 In the most recent population estimates, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration counted 80,000 humpbacks worldwide. — Tom Stienstra, SFChronicle.com, "Chart-buster times: salmon to whales, bears to bighorns," 8 July 2018 At the Farallones, 40-foot humpbacks were launching into the air, rotating in half pirouettes, then crashing into the sea on their backs. — Tom Stienstra, SFChronicle.com, "Chart-buster times: salmon to whales, bears to bighorns," 8 July 2018 But Slinky is getting a second wind, one that send riders through a series of hoops and then back through back-to-back-to-back humpback maneuvers. — Dewayne Bevil, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Disney not toying around with Slinky Dog Dash," 28 June 2018 Some giants have managed to bounce back, such as humpbacks and West Coast gray whales. — Brian Switek, Smithsonian, "Today’s Whales Are Huge, But Why Aren’t They Huger?," 27 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'humpback.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.