pilot whale
noun
: either of two dark gray to black, medium-sized toothed whales (Globicephala melas and G. macrorhynchus) of temperate to tropical waters that have a large rounded forehead and short snout and typically feed on squid and small fish
called also blackfish
Examples of pilot whale in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The animal — a 12-foot pilot whale — was first spotted in the river’s shallow waters Wednesday, Aug. 6.
—
Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025
More than 60 pilot whales were stranded on a beach near the northern Icelandic town of Ólafsfjörður, prompting an urgent rescue operation involving local emergency services and community volunteers.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
In 2022, about 200 of 230 pilot whales died after becoming stranded further down Tasmania's west coast in Macquarie Harbor.
—Carl Zhang, NBC News, 19 Feb. 2025
New Zealand has long been a hotspot for whale strandings, with pilot whales being particularly susceptible to such events.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for pilot whale
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Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025
More than 60 pilot whales were stranded on a beach near the northern Icelandic town of Ólafsfjörður, prompting an urgent rescue operation involving local emergency services and community volunteers.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
In 2022, about 200 of 230 pilot whales died after becoming stranded further down Tasmania's west coast in Macquarie Harbor.
—Carl Zhang, NBC News, 19 Feb. 2025
New Zealand has long been a hotspot for whale strandings, with pilot whales being particularly susceptible to such events.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for pilot whale
Cite this Entry
“Pilot whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pilot%20whale. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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