whale
WAYL
Whale (noun) means a very large sea mammal, related to dolphins, that breathes air through a blowhole. Example: “A whale surfaced beside our small boat and sprayed water.”
noun
1
A very large sea mammal, related to dolphins, that breathes air through a blowhole.
"A whale surfaced beside our small boat and sprayed water."
"They watched a whale breach just off the coast."
"Blue whales are the largest animals ever known to have lived."
2
Informal: a gambler or investor who wagers or spends unusually large sums of money.
"The casino host gave the whale a free suite and dinner."
"Some online games depend on a few whales who spend heavily."
"Casinos roll out the red carpet for their biggest whales."
verb
1
To hunt whales for a living.
"Sailors from the island whaled in these cold waters for generations."
"Her grandfather whaled as a young man before moving inland."
"The town's economy once depended on families who whaled for a living."
How to use whale
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe giant sea mammal, or slang for a big-spending gambler/customer.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
whale watching
a whale of a time
blue whale
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Word forms
- Plural
- whales
- Third person singular
- whales
- Past tense
- whaled
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
A _____ surfaced beside our small boat and sprayed water.
Etymology
From Old English hwæl, part of an old Germanic word family for "whale" that stretches back to a root meaning something like "big fish."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for whale
See all rhymes for whale →Frequently asked questions
What does “whale” mean?
The word “whale” means a very large sea mammal, related to dolphins, that breathes air through a blowhole. In plain terms, the giant sea mammal, or slang for a big-spending gambler/customer.
How do you pronounce “whale”?
“Whale” is pronounced WAYL (/ˈweɪ̯l/ in IPA).
How do you use “whale” in a sentence?
Here is “whale” used in a sentence: “They watched a whale breach just off the coast.”
What part of speech is “whale”?
Depending on how it is used, “whale” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “whale” come from?
The word “whale” comes from Old English. From Old English hwæl, part of an old Germanic word family for "whale" that stretches back to a root meaning something like "big fish.".
Is “whale” a common word?
“Whale” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “whale” have?
“Whale” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a very large sea mammal, related to dolphins, that breathes air through a blowhole.
What is the difference between a whale and a dolphin?
Whales and dolphins are closely related sea mammals, both belonging to the group called cetaceans. In general, whales are much larger, while dolphins are smaller and often have a distinct beak-like snout. Confusingly, some animals with "dolphin" in their name are technically small whales.
Why is a whale a mammal and not a fish?
A whale is a mammal because it breathes air through a blowhole, is warm-blooded, and feeds its young on milk, unlike fish. Fish breathe underwater through gills and are cold-blooded. Although a whale lives in the sea and is roughly fish-shaped, its biology is mammalian.
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