whale

1 of 3

noun

ˈ(h)wāl 

plural whales

often attributive

1

or plural whale : any of various very large, aquatic, marine mammals (order Cetacea) that have a torpedo-shaped body with a thick layer of blubber, paddle-shaped forelimbs but no hind limbs, a horizontally flattened tail, and nostrils that open externally at the top of the head

also : cetacean see baleen whale, toothed whale

2

: one that is impressive especially in size

a whale of a difference

a whale of a good time

whalelike

ˈ(h)wāl-ˌlīk 

adjective

whale

2 of 3

verb (1)

whaled; whaling

intransitive verb

: to engage in whale fishing

whale

3 of 3

verb (2)

whaled; whaling

transitive verb

1

: lash, thrash

2

: to strike or hit vigorously

3

: to defeat soundly

Synonyms

Noun

• behemoth
• blockbuster
• colossus
• dinosaur
• dreadnought
• elephant
• giant
• Goliath
• jumbo
• leviathan
• mammoth
• mastodon
• monster
• titan
• whopper

Verb (2)

• bang
• bash
• bat
• belt
• biff
• bludgeon
• bob
• bonk
• bop
• box
• bust
• clap
• clip
• clobber
• clock
• clout
• crack
• hammer
• hit
• knock
• nail
• paste
• pound
• punch
• rap
• slam
• slap
• slog
• slug
• smack
• smite
• sock
• strike
• swat
• swipe
• tag
• thump
• thwack
• wallop
• whack
• zap

Examples of whale in a Sentence

Noun

a whale of a pickup truck

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But really, none of the whales around today were closely related or descended from Old Tom. —Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 9 Nov. 2023

The whales attacked the boat's rudder, the company said, causing major damage and a leak. —Patrick Smith, NBC News, 9 Nov. 2023

Through it all my little pastry has soldiered on, neither high roller nor whale, just a regular guy trying to keep its head above water on the Strip. —Brett Martin, Bon Appétit, 8 Nov. 2023

However, even when the environment became more friendly, the world was not suddenly filled with redwoods and whales and humans. —Eliot Bush, Scientific American, 7 Nov. 2023

When crab fishers operate in the same area, the whales can get caught in their equipment, especially in fishing lines that run from crab pots on the seafloor to buoys on the water’s surface. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 31 Oct. 2023

According to Snowman, in the early years Boston Light’s lamps needed to be kept topped up with whale oil or herring oil, and the wicks trimmed constantly to avoid smoking. —Dorothy Wickenden, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2023

The whales can drown after getting tangled in fishing gear or succumb to life-threatening injuries after being struck by boats. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Oct. 2023

As a bonus, the anglers were able to land the salmon without harming or disturbing the two whales that surfaced boat side. —Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 25 Oct. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hwæl; akin to Old High German hwal whale and perhaps to Latin squalus sea fish

Verb (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

1700, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

circa 1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing whale

• pilot whale
• great white whale
• right whale
• killer whale
• fin whale
• minke whale
• blue whale
• bowhead whale
• Antarctic minke whale
• common minke whale
• baleen whale
• beaked whale
• a whale of a time
• whale shark
• sei whale
• southern minke whale
• white whale
• toothed whale
• whale watch
• whalebone whale
• gray whale
• sperm whale
• northern minke whale

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• pilot whale
• great white whale
• right whale
• killer whale
• fin whale
• minke whale
• blue whale
• bowhead whale
• Antarctic minke whale
• common minke whale
• baleen whale
• beaked whale
• a whale of a time
• whale shark
• sei whale
• southern minke whale
• white whale
• toothed whale
• whale watch
• whalebone whale
• gray whale
• sperm whale
• northern minke whale

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Kids Definition

whale

1 of 3 noun

ˈhwā(ə)l 

ˈwā(ə)l

plural whales or whale

1

: a water-dwelling mammal (as a humpback whale or a killer whale) that is a cetacean of usually very large size with a torpedo-shaped body, front limbs modified into flippers but no hind limbs, and a tail flattened and extended to the sides as flukes and that usually breathes through an opening on top of the head compare baleen whale, toothed whale

2

: something large enough to catch attention

it made a whale of a difference

whale

2 of 3 verb

whaled; whaling

: to hunt whales

whale

3 of 3 verb

whaled; whaling

1

: thrash sense 2a

2

: to hit hard

whaled the ball

Etymology

Noun

Old English hwæl "whale"

Verb

origin unknown