whale shark

noun

: a shark (Rhincodon typus) of warm waters that has small teeth, feeds chiefly on plankton strained by its gill rakers, may sometimes attain a length of up to 60 feet (18.3 meters), and is the largest known fish

Examples of whale shark in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web From roughly June to September, whale sharks gather in abundance across the region to feast on tiny fish eggs, with tourists traveling beyond the shores of Isla Mujeres to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon. Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 Although whale sharks are common in some areas of Australia, they are rarely seen near K’gari, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 8 Feb. 2024 During the summer months, whale sharks come to the waters around Cancun. Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 31 Jan. 2024 For whale sharks, June through September is peak season. Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2024 The archipelago is also home to around 4,000 shy endangered dugongs, a species that feeds on seagrass beds and plays an important role in the overall ecosystem, and at certain times of year, whale sharks can be found here. Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 26 June 2023 In it, the whale shark is seen slowly swimming around the boat. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 8 Feb. 2024 But the waters surrounding the archipelago are also brimming with biodiversity, including nearly 3,000 species ranging from pint-size penguins to colossal whale sharks. Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 2 Nov. 2023 In multiple videos sent to AL.com by Cory Kauffman, a whale shark can be seen approaching the boat from which Kauffman and companion Jacob Nixon were fishing. Warren Kulo | Wkulo@al.com, al, 18 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whale shark.' 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

circa 1885, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of whale shark was circa 1885

Dictionary Entries Near whale shark

Cite this Entry

“Whale shark.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whale%20shark. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

whale shark

noun
: a harmless shark of warm waters that feeds chiefly on plankton, may sometimes grow to a length of up to 60 feet (18.3 meters), and is the largest known fish

More from Merriam-Webster on whale shark

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!