right whale

noun

: any of several large baleen whales (family Balaenidae and especially genus Eubalaena) that lack a dorsal fin and have very long baleen plates, an extremely large head with a V-shaped blowhole, a smooth throat, short, broad, rounded flippers, and whitish protuberances of thickened skin about the head

Illustration of right whale

Examples of right whale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At the time, the nonprofit said that the fishing gear used to catch lobsters was posing a threat to endangered North Atlantic right whales. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2025

Fifteen individual North Atlantic right whales were seen, including Koala and Curlew. —Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025

Three North Atlantic right whales previously entangled in buoys and fishing line are confirmed to have broken free from the gear, scientists say. —Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2025

The right whale is among six out of the 13 great whale species that are classified as endangered or vulnerable. —CBS News, 15 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1725, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for right whale

• airmail
• assail
• avail
• bewail
• blackmail
• cattail
• cocktail
• curtail
• derail
• detail
• dovetail
• email

Kids Definition

right whale

noun

: a large baleen whale with no fin on the back, a very large head, and small eyes near the lower part of the mouth