whale
|whale|
/weɪl/
large sea mammal
Etymology
'whale' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'hwæl', where the root referred to the large sea animal (from Proto-Germanic '*hwalaz').
'whale' changed from Old English 'hwæl', which came from Proto-Germanic '*hwalaz' and ultimately from an earlier Indo-European root; over time it developed into the modern English word 'whale'.
Initially, it meant 'a large sea creature'; over time the word kept that primary meaning while also developing related senses (e.g., as a verb meaning 'to hunt whales' and informally 'to beat' or 'to be very large/impressive').
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a very large marine mammal of the order Cetacea (includes both baleen whales and toothed whales).
The blue whale is the largest animal on Earth.
Synonyms
Noun 2
(informal) Something very large, impressive, or extreme.
It was a whale of a storm.
Synonyms
Verb 1
to hunt whales (historical/commercial sense).
In the 19th century, crews went out to whale in the Southern Ocean.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/21 00:23