humpback whale

noun

|Updated on: 24 Jun 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

These included those of killer whales, pilot whales, Risso’s dolphins and humpback whales.

— The Economist, "When faced with a killer whale should you fight or flee?," 14 June 2018
Using drones to capture the mist from humpback whale blowholes, a team of Australian researchers has found viruses related to human pathogens like ones that cause the common cold.

— megha satyanarayana, STAT, "Drones are helping researchers figure out what viruses live in whales. Some are similar to ones in humans," 11 June 2018
Its approval also followed a six-month dry spell since the previous BitLicense was granted; the NYDFS has gone up to 11 months without pushing out a new BitLicense—roughly equal to the gestation period of a humpback whale.

— robert hackett, Fortune, "The Ledger: Is New York's BitLicense an 'Absolute Failure?'," 25 May 2018
In a nod to the deployment, the vessel is adorned with hull art by marine artist Wyland that includes a giant image of a mother humpback whale and her calf.

— gene sloan, USA TODAY, "New Norwegian Bliss becomes biggest cruise ship ever to transit Panama Canal," 14 May 2018
The beached male humpback whale carcass was first reported to NOAA on Sunday, May 27, Speegle said, but crews couldn't locate it at first.

— laurel andrews, Anchorage Daily News, "Humpback whale found dead in Southeast Alaska likely hit by a ship, officials say," 5 June 2018
Hundreds of dolphins leap and play with a humpback whale calf in aerial footage captured by a drone during a recent whale-watching trip off Monterey, California.

— don sweeney, sacbee, "Watch 1,500 dolphins frolic with baby humpback whale off California in aerial video," 3 June 2018
The sheer lack of precedent for what a humpback whale birth looks like.

— National Geographic, "This Film Crew Might Be the First to See Humpbacks Give Birth," 17 Apr. 2018
Nothing in our experience had prepared us to be standing next to the humpback whale that lay on its side on a lonely stretch of Turnagain Arm tidal mud.

— steve meyer, Anchorage Daily News, "A beached whale and a lingering, profound impact," 7 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.