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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Spend the morning hiking desert canyons before setting sail to watch breaching humpback whales in one of the most reliable whale-watching destinations in the world. Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 19 Jan. 2025 Two humpback whales swam to freedom after local responders helped the animals escape life-threatening entanglements. Luke Chinman, People.com, 15 Jan. 2025 During a catamaran trip one afternoon, a humpback whale surfaced in front of our boat just long enough to take a few breaths. Essence, 23 Dec. 2024 For now, the skeleton of a female humpback whale is laid out on the floor of the lighthouse, and three canoes are propped up in one wing of the old building. John Bartlett, NPR, 12 Jan. 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

Dictionary Entries Near humpback whale

Cite this Entry

“Humpback whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humpback%20whale. Accessed 17 Feb. 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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