beaked whale

noun

: any of a family (Ziphiidae) of toothed whales that have a relatively long, narrow snout suggestive of a beak, that in the males often have a large bulging forehead, and that unlike other whales lack a notch on the fluke

Note: Beaked whales lack teeth in the upper jaw. Typically, female beaked whales also lack functional teeth in the lower jaw while male whales have one to two pairs of small tusklike teeth in the lower jaw. Beaked whales feed chiefly on deepwater squid.

Examples of beaked whale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Scientists have recorded attacks on species such as beaked whales, gray whales, and even blue whales. —Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 16 July 2024

In 2023, researchers released footage of orcas attacking beaked whales. —Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 16 July 2024

Killer whales attack Cuvier's beaked whale in Bremer Canyon bloodbath off Western Australia. BBC. —Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 16 July 2024

Dolphins in turn are a type of toothed whale, a group that also includes porpoises, beaked whales and sperm whales. —Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 24 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1755, in the meaning defined above