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humpback whale

humpback whale

6 2.7
A large whale with long flippers that arches its back when diving
  • noun
  • /ˈhʌmpˌbæk weɪl/
translation icon : ballena jorobada
  • The island is also close to a humpback whale migration route.
  • humpback whale breaches
  • humpback whales frolicking
  • humpback whale calf

And and then towards the end, I had humpback whales singing.

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Examples

  • While on our boat tour, we saw several humpback whales breaching the surface of the ocean.

  • Best seats in the house for the humpback whale show.

    Blog text (7)
  • We could attempt to find some humpback whales.

  • I know that humpback whales exist, but do not know how many exist.

    Blog text (23)
  • Diving with humpback whales is exciting and can be dangerous.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Whale watching between January and March features humpback whales, one of the largest species of marine mammals.

    Blog text (1)
  • Humpback whales will migrate past this coastline every year during winter.

  • The humpback whale sanctuary would be the fourteenth marine sanctuary for the United States.

    Academic text (1996)
  • An all-white humpback whale was sighted off the coast of Norway earlier this week.

    Blog text (7)
  • During the feeding season, it is essential for humpback whales to accumulate a sufficient amount of energy for survival, growth, and/or reproduction.

    Academic text (2018)

Synonyms

humpback
vshumpback whale
16 4.3

A large whale with long flippers and a rounded back when diving

emphasizes physical traits like long flippers and arching back when diving
Megaptera novaeangliae
vshumpback whale
  • Specialized
9.9

A large whale with long flippers that often bends its back when diving

is the common descriptive name highlighting long flippers and back arching when diving
Megaptera
vshumpback whale
  • Specialized
9.9

A large whale with long fins called the humpback whale

refers to one specific species rather than the whole genus

How Big

blue whale
211 1.4
fin whale
3 4.0
humpback whale
6 2.7
minke whale
  • Specialized
1 6.2
porpoise
13 4.1

Surface Forms

Morphology

humpback + whale

The compound's meaning is directly derivable from its parts: 'humpback' (a hump on the back) + 'whale' indicates a whale with a hump on its back. This is a straightforward compositional construction common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Humpback whale got its name from the way it bends its back like a hump when it dives. The words hump and back describe that curved shape, so the name helps you picture this large whale.