plural blowholes
1
: a hole in metal caused by a bubble of gas captured during solidification
2
: a nostril in the top of the head of a cetacean and especially a whale
3
: a hole or fissure in rocks along a shore through which incoming waves force air to rush upward or water to spout intermittently
The blowhole is in a place where ocean waves marching in from the north have undercut a lava shelf and carved a tire-sized hole so that surf can spout up like a Yellowstone geyser.—
Brian J. Cantwell
Brian J. CantwellExamples of blowhole in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The study team held up petri dishes to the mammals’ blowhole, through which dolphins inhale and exhale.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 17 Oct. 2024
In a video posted by the company, the whales can be seen surfacing and spouting mist from their blowholes before sinking back into the water.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 26 June 2024
In the video, around a half dozen of the animals can be seen breaching just feet from the boat and loudly spouting mist from their blowholes.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 20 May 2024
After looking at the girl for a few moments, the orca pulls away to swim up to the surface of the pool, taking a deep breath before letting some air out from its blowhole.
—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for blowhole 
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Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 17 Oct. 2024
In a video posted by the company, the whales can be seen surfacing and spouting mist from their blowholes before sinking back into the water.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 26 June 2024
In the video, around a half dozen of the animals can be seen breaching just feet from the boat and loudly spouting mist from their blowholes.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 20 May 2024
After looking at the girl for a few moments, the orca pulls away to swim up to the surface of the pool, taking a deep breath before letting some air out from its blowhole.
—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for blowhole
Dictionary Entries Near blowhole
Cite this Entry
“Blowhole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blowhole. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
blowhole
noun
blow·hole
-ˌhōl 
1
: a nostril in the top of the head of a whale or related animal
2
: a hole in the ice to which aquatic mammals (as seals) come to breathe
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