fin whale

noun

: a baleen whale (Balaenoptera physalus) that may attain a length of over 70 feet (21 meters) and is found chiefly in subtropical to arctic and antarctic waters worldwide

called also finback

Illustration of fin whale

Illustration of fin whale

Examples of fin whale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But blue whales, humpbacks, and fin whales are on the endangered list, and the Northern right whale is just about extinct – only about 350 of them are left on Earth. David Pogue, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2024 Webb and Payne’s original paper on acoustic herd theory demonstrated that fin whale vocalizations—low-frequency sounds that carry long distances—could theoretically travel an astonishing 430 miles in certain areas of the ocean. Joanna Thompson, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Oct. 2024 While there are no observations of orcas hunting fin whales, orcas are known to hunt and eat sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis) in waters near Chilean Patagonia. Mindy Weisberger, CNN, 26 Sep. 2024 The scientists also discovered signs of orca tooth rake marks on the dorsal fin of a fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus). Mindy Weisberger, CNN, 26 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fin whale 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fin whale.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fin whale was in 1885

Dictionary Entries Near fin whale

Cite this Entry

“Fin whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fin%20whale. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

fin whale

noun
: a baleen whale that may reach a length of over 70 feet (21 meters)

More from Merriam-Webster on fin whale

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