whales - Meaning, Image, Examples & Etymology - Learn English Visually

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whales

|whale|

/weɪl/

(whale)

large sea mammal

Base Form	Plural	3rd Person Sing.	Past	Past Participle	Present Participle
whale	whales	whales	whaled	whaled	whaling

Etymology

Etymology Information

'whale' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'hwæl', where the Proto-Germanic root '*hwalaz' meant 'large sea creature' or 'whale'.

Historical Evolution

'whale' changed from the Old English word 'hwæl' into Middle English 'whale' and eventually became the modern English word 'whale'.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it meant 'large sea creature', and while that core meaning has remained, 'whale' also developed verbal senses (e.g., 'to whale on' meaning to beat) and various figurative uses.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Noun 1

plural form of 'whale': very large marine mammals of the infraorder Cetacea, typically living in the ocean

Whales migrate long distances each year.

Synonyms

cetaceanslarge whales

Verb 1

third person singular present of 'whale' (informal): to hit, beat, or strike repeatedly; also 'to defeat overwhelmingly' in some contexts

He often whales on the punching bag at the gym.

Synonyms

beats thrashes wallops

Antonyms

Examples

Idioms

to whale on (someone/something)

Last updated: 2025/10/01 08:27