English Meaning & Definitions
Large marine mammals of the order Cetacea, characterized by a blowhole on top of the head and a thick layer of blubber.
- “We took a boat trip off the coast of Maui to watch the humpback whales migrating.”
- “Whales communicate over vast distances using complex songs and clicks.”
To hunt or catch whales.
- “Historically, many coastal communities relied on the practice of whaling for their survival.”
- “International laws now strictly regulate those who whale in protected waters.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “whales”.
Derived from the Old English 'hwæl', of Germanic origin, related to the Dutch 'walvis' and German 'Walfisch'. The root is linked to the Proto-Indo-European base '*(s)kwal-', which also gave rise to the word 'squall' in some contexts, though the specific etymological connection to the sea creature remains rooted in ancient Germanic maritime terminology.
Whales are 'wails' of the ocean; their massive size makes them impossible to miss.
Frequently Asked Questions About “whales”
1. What is the meaning of “whales” in English?
In English, whales (noun) is defined as: “Large marine mammals of the order Cetacea, characterized by a blowhole on top of the head and a thick layer of blubber.”.
2. How do you use “whales” in a sentence?
“We took a boat trip off the coast of Maui to watch the humpback whales migrating.”
3. What are English synonyms of “whales”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “whales”?
Derived from the Old English 'hwæl', of Germanic origin, related to the Dutch 'walvis' and German 'Walfisch'. The root is linked to the Proto-Indo-European base '*(s)kwal-', which also gave rise to the word 'squall' in some contexts, though the specific etymological connection to the sea creature remains rooted in ancient Germanic maritime terminology.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →A measurement of time indicating an instantaneous occurrence or a state where no time has elapsed.
The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.