ENGLISH
REFERENCE

whale

n. countable
A1 Beginner US //ˈhweɪɫ// UK //wˈeɪl// whale Informal Slang Vulgar

n. a very large animal that lives in the ocean and breathes air through a hole on top of its head. They look like huge fish but are actually mammals.

n. any of the larger cetacean mammals having a streamlined body and breathing through a blowhole on the head. In informal gambling or finance contexts, it refers to a person or entity that bets or invests exceptionally large sums of money.


SIMPLE

The blue whale is the largest animal on Earth.

CONTEXTUAL

During our boat trip, we were lucky enough to see a whale breach the surface of the water.

COMPLEX

Marine biologists are currently studying how whale song facilitates communication across vast distances of the ocean floor, potentially linking pods separated by hundreds of miles.

Synonyms
Usage

The plural form is usually 'whales', though 'whale' is sometimes used as a collective plural in a hunting or commercial context.

Idioms1 entry

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