whale

1
[ hweyl, weyl ]
/ ʰweɪl, weɪl /

noun, plural whales, (especially collectively) whale.

any of the larger marine mammals of the order Cetacea, especially as distinguished from the smaller dolphins and porpoises, having a fishlike body, forelimbs modified into flippers, and a head that is horizontally flattened.
Informal. something big, great, or fine of its kind: I had a whale of a time in Europe.
(initial capital letter) Astronomy. the constellation Cetus.

verb (used without object), whaled, whal·ing.

to engage in whaling or whale fishing.

Origin of whale

1
before 900; Middle English; Old English hwæl; cognate with German Wal- in Walfisch, Old Norse hvalr; perhaps akin to Latin squalus kind of fish

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH whale

wail whale

Definition for whale (2 of 2)

whale 2
[ hweyl, weyl ]
/ ʰweɪl, weɪl /

verb, whaled, whal·ing,

to hit, thrash, or beat soundly.

Origin of whale

2
First recorded in 1780–90; origin uncertain

Example sentences from the Web for whale

British Dictionary definitions for whale (1 of 2)

whale 1
/ (weɪl) /

noun plural whales or whale

any of the larger cetacean mammals, excluding dolphins, porpoises, and narwhals. They have flippers, a streamlined body, and a horizontally flattened tail and breathe through a blowhole on the top of the head Related adjective: cetacean
any cetacean mammal See also toothed whale, whalebone whale
slang a gambler who has the capacity to win and lose large sums of money in a casino
a whale of a informal an exceptionally large, fine, etc, example of a (person or thing) we had a whale of a time on holiday

Word Origin for whale

Old English hwæl; related to Old Saxon, Old High German hwal, Old Norse hvalr, Latin squalus seapig

British Dictionary definitions for whale (2 of 2)

whale 2
/ (weɪl) /

verb

(tr) to beat or thrash soundly

Word Origin for whale

C18: variant of wale 1