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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The limits are part of the department’s Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program, established in 2020 to address a significant increase in injuries from fishing gear reported on humpback whales. Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024 This winter, the hotel is offering unforgettable activities like private ecotourism safaris and helicopter island hopping adventures, as well as horseback promenades in the rainforest and humpback whale encounters. Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024 Instances of humpback whale entanglements with fishing gear have climbed sharply in the last decade, thanks to a chain of events sparked by warming seas. Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2024 According to the nonprofit conservation group Oceana, a participant in those discussions, during the period from May to Oct. 21 of this year, four humpback whales were confirmed entangled in California commercial Dungeness crab fishing gear. Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024 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 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

humpback whale

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

More from Merriam-Webster on humpback whale

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!