basking shark

noun

bask·​ing shark ˈba-skiŋ- How to pronounce basking shark (audio)
: a large plankton-feeding shark (Cetorhinus maximus) that has an oil-rich liver and may attain a length of up to 45 feet (13.7 meters)

Examples of basking shark in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
An old box hedge running down one side of the garden had been turned into a procession including an owl, a pig, two rabbits, a hen, a goose, a duck, a snail, a dove, some Barbara Hepworth-style abstracts, and a basking shark. Sophie Elmhirst, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2024 The fin of a basking shark is overall more rounded, with a slightly curved back edge. Kathryn Varn, Axios, 11 July 2024 Researchers don’t know whether the 23-foot (7-meter) basking shark inhabiting the waters around the Blasket Islands, off the coast of Ireland, survived the collision. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 28 July 2024 At one point during that swim, a basking shark appeared and swam alongside Edgley for a day and a half. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 30 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for basking shark 

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1769, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of basking shark was circa 1769

Dictionary Entries Near basking shark

Cite this Entry

“Basking shark.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basking%20shark. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

basking shark

noun
: a large shark that feeds on plankton and may reach 45 feet (13.7 meters) in length

More from Merriam-Webster on basking shark

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