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Glite Dictionary
Eschrichtius gibbosus

Eschrichtius gibbosus

9.9
A medium-sized gray whale that lives in the northern Pacific
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Eschrichtius gibbosus
  • The Eschrichtius gibbosus migrates from Alaska to Mexico every year.

Examples

  • Sightings of Eschrichtius gibbosus are common during their annual migration along the Pacific coast.

  • Did you know that the Eschrichtius gibbosus can weigh up to 40 tons?

  • A pod of Eschrichtius gibbosus was spotted breaching near the shores of Baja California.

  • Conservationists have studied the reproductive habits of Eschrichtius gibbosus to better protect the species.

  • A pod of Eschrichtius gibbosus was spotted breaching near the shores of Baja California.

  • Sightings of Eschrichtius gibbosus are common during their annual migration along the Pacific coast.

  • Conservationists have studied the reproductive habits of Eschrichtius gibbosus to better protect the species.

Synonyms

gray whale
vsEschrichtius gibbosus
  • US
3 3.5

A medium-sized whale with grey skin that lives in the northern Pacific Ocean

has identical meaning but uses a different scientific name
Eschrichtius robustus
vsEschrichtius gibbosus
  • Specialized
9.9

A medium-sized whale called the gray whale that lives in the northern Pacific Ocean

has identical meaning but is an alternate scientific name

Surface Forms

Eschrichtius gibbosus singular
Eschrichtius gibbosi plural

Morphology

Eschrichtius + gibbosus

This is a Latin scientific binomial (a taxonomic name) whose conventional meaning ('the gray whale') is a proper-name label rather than a compositional English phrase. Even if a learner knew that Eschrichtius denotes a whale genus, 'gibbosus' is not an ordinary English word here and the species' common-name meaning cannot be derived from the parts, so it would be opaque to a B1 learner.

Etymology

The name Eschrichtius gibbosus comes from a scientist named Eschricht and the Latin word gibbosus, meaning 'humped'. So picture a grey whale with a low hump to remember that the name refers to this medium-sized grey whale.