humpback whale

noun

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of humpback whale

: a large baleen whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) that is black above and white below and has very long flippers, and fleshy tubercles along the snout

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Recent Examples of humpback whale from the Web

In the never-ending symphony of the sea, there's a standout among the percussive pings of bottlenose dolphins and the plaintive calls of humpback whales.

— chris stirewalt, Fox News, "What real patriotism looks like," 4 Apr. 2018
But my greatest thrill was seeing humpback whales cruising through these breeding waters, not only spouting as usual but also hurling themselves out of the water (known as breeching).

— doug hansen, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Finding the aloha spirit in three Hawaiian Islands," 3 Apr. 2018
Called Cruising with the Whales, the hull art features a giant image of a mother humpback whale and her calf.

— gene sloan, USA TODAY, "Construction of giant new Norwegian Cruise Line ship Norwegian Bliss reaches milestone," 22 Feb. 2018
The area teems with wildlife, including cougars, wolves, dolphins and humpback whales.

— phil marty, chicagotribune.com, "Wild, women-only adventure in Canada, airline rankings and more," 27 Mar. 2018
Guests there watch dolphins and humpback whales jump in Hulopoe Bay, lounge beneath palm trees, and stroll through botanical gardens.

— nicole defeudis, BostonGlobe.com, "New England hotels bring home the gold," 18 Mar. 2018
Whales in Monterey Bay: While some humpback whales linger in Monterey Bay year around, gray whales are winter’s prime attraction.

— maria finn, San Francisco Chronicle, "Don’t miss these great places to see California wildlife, from insects to whales," 28 Mar. 2018
Head north for about 3 miles, stopping along the way at the Kapaa Lookout to glimpse humpback whales breaching in the distance from December to May. Turn around at Paliku beach and head back to your car for the airport.

— martha cheng, WSJ, "3 Perfect Days on Kauai: The Quintessential Hawaiian Island," 21 Mar. 2018
Just like the humpback whales' perpetual trek along the Southern California coast, some of Hollywood's biggest names repeatedly take part in a real estate ritual: buy, sell, buy, sell.

— neal j. leitereg and lauren beale, latimes.com, "Hot Property: Migration patterns," 17 Mar. 2018

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