gray whale

noun

: a large baleen whale (Eschrichtius robustus) of the northern Pacific having short jaws and no dorsal fin

Examples of gray whale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The salt marshes and salt ponds of southern San Diego Bay are 450 miles north of the mangrove fringed Laguna San Ignacio, a gray whale birthing lagoon on the Pacific Coast of the Baja California Peninsula. Serge Dedina, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2024 The gray whale migration lasts another couple of weeks, and Channel Islands Harbor is hosting its 25th annual Celebration of the Whales on April 7. Michael Charboneau, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 Upon landing, researchers immediately reviewed their images and confirmed the species was, in fact, the rare gray whale. Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2024 Gray whales disappeared from the Atlantic Ocean by the 18th century and have only been found up until recently in Northern Pacific waters A team of scientists spotted a rare sight off the New England coast — a gray whale enjoying a swim. Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 For Page, who gets to call the ocean her office, the orcas add to the rich biodiversity found off the coast: gray whales during winter and spring, humpbacks during spring and fall, blue whales – the world’s largest mammal – during summer. Laylan Connelly, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 This is where migrating gray whales swim past dramatic bluffs and rock formations, and the air is deliciously salty. Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 4 Jan. 2024 The species tends to stay in deeper water compared to gray whales, which travel from 10,000 to 14,000 miles round-trip up and down the coast in annual migrations. Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Dec. 2023 The researchers found out that the majority of these specimens belonged to the now extinct Atlantic gray whale and the North Atlantic right whale, an endangered species. Naomi Greenberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gray whale.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gray whale was in 1834

Dictionary Entries Near gray whale

Cite this Entry

“Gray whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gray%20whale. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gray whale

noun
: a large baleen whale of the northern Pacific Ocean

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