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whale shark
noun
: a shark (Rhincodon typus) of warm waters that has small teeth, feeds chiefly on plankton strained by its gill rakers, may sometimes attain a length of up to 60 feet (18.3 meters), and is the largest known fish
Examples of whale shark in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Not even a whale shark, the biggest fish species on Earth.
—Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Dec. 2024
Alongside him, other pod members, possibly including a related female, were observed in the hunts, indicating a potential specialization in targeting whale sharks.
—Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024
Researchers also need to understand why this pod in particular chose whale sharks as food, and also determine if all orcas employ a similar group hunting technique.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 29 Nov. 2024
In all four attacks, the killer whales teamed up to hunt whale sharks in a calculated manner.
—New Atlas, 29 Nov. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
circa 1885, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near whale shark
Cite this Entry
“Whale shark.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whale%20shark. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
whale shark
noun
: a harmless shark of warm waters that feeds chiefly on plankton, may sometimes grow to a length of up to 60 feet (18.3 meters), and is the largest known fish
More from Merriam-Webster on whale shark
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about whale shark
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