North Pacific right whale

noun

variants or less commonly northern Pacific right whale
: a chiefly black right whale (Eubalaena japonica) of temperate and subpolar waters of the Pacific Ocean that was formerly classified with the North Atlantic right whale as a single species

Word History

First Known Use

1969, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of North Pacific right whale was in 1969

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Dictionary Entries Near North Pacific right whale

Cite this Entry

“North Pacific right whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/North%20Pacific%20right%20whale. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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