humpback whale

noun

: a large baleen whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) that is black above and white below and has very long flippers, and fleshy tubercles along the snout

Illustration of humpback whale

Illustration of humpback whale

Examples of humpback whale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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After a brief moment of serene silence, a humpback whale surges up from below the frame and punches through the school of fish. Kelli Bender, People.com, 26 Mar. 2025 And from mid-July to October, humpback whales put on a show that can be observed from shore or up-close on boat tours that launch from this beach. Jen Murphy, Outside Online, 14 Mar. 2025 While humpback whales are known to inhabit these waters, incidents involving close encounters with humans are exceedingly rare. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025 During the journey, participants can keep their eyes peeled for a wide variety of avian species spanning from the black-legged kittiwake to the razorbill to the Caspian tern, and to sweeten the deal, the surrounding waters are also brimming with humpback whales from early summer to late fall. Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for humpback whale

Word History

First Known Use

1726, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of humpback whale was in 1726

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Cite this Entry

“Humpback whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humpback%20whale. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

humpback whale

noun
: a large baleen whale that is black above and white below and has very long flippers

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