Illustration of minke whale
variants
or less commonly minke
: a small gray to black baleen whale (genus Balaenoptera) with a whitish underside and a relatively narrow, pointed snout:
a
: one (B. acutorostrata) chiefly of the northern hemisphere
called also common minke whale, northern minke whale
b
: one (B. bonaerensis) of the southern hemisphere that was formerly classified in the same species as the northern form
called also Antarctic minke, southern minke whale
see rorqual
Examples of minke whale in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In 2024, Alex Dawson was named overall winner for his image of minke whale bones in shallow waters off eastern Greenland.
—
Jack Guy, CNN, 21 Feb. 2025
The company identified the animal as a minke whale, some of which are commonly spotted in places off the Great Barrier Reef and other warm waters in the southern hemisphere.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2025
Found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, minke whales are not considered endangered.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 2 Jan. 2025
Cases Compared to Past Years Human Limbs Found On California Shoreline
Massachusetts has seen the most minke whales washed ashore, at 67.
—George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for minke whale
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Jack Guy, CNN, 21 Feb. 2025
The company identified the animal as a minke whale, some of which are commonly spotted in places off the Great Barrier Reef and other warm waters in the southern hemisphere.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2025
Found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, minke whales are not considered endangered.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 2 Jan. 2025
Cases Compared to Past Years Human Limbs Found On California Shoreline
Massachusetts has seen the most minke whales washed ashore, at 67.
—George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for minke whale
Cite this Entry
“Minke whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minke%20whale. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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