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

For the first time, the birth of a humpback whale was captured via drone earlier this week. — Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 31 July 2026

Researchers said the sighting may challenge previous assumptions that humpback whales primarily travel to tropical waters to give birth. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 30 July 2026

From January 15 to March 15, the same boats run humpback whale-watching trips in the Bay of Samaná, one of the best places on the planet to see them. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 July 2026

View humpback whales from a boat, beach, or your room’s private balcony. — Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 25 July 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