sperm whale
noun
a large, square-snouted whale, Physeter catodon, valued for its oil and spermaceti: now reduced in number and rare in some areas.
Origin of sperm whale
First recorded in 1825–35
Words nearby sperm whale
sperm,
sperm bank,
sperm cell,
sperm oil,
sperm washing,
sperm whale,
sperm-,
sperm-aster,
sperma-,
spermaceti,
spermacytic seminoma
British Dictionary definitions for sperm whale
sperm whale
noun
a large toothed whale, Physeter catodon, having a square-shaped head and hunted for sperm oil, spermaceti, and ambergris: family Physeteridae
Also called: cachalot
Word Origin for sperm whale
C19: short for
spermaceti
whale