finback

[ fin-bak ]

noun

1. any baleen whale of the genus Balaenoptera, having a prominent dorsal fin, especially B. physalus, of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts; rorqual: an endangered species.

finback

/ ˈfɪnˌbæk /

noun

1. another name for rorqual

Word History and Origins

Origin of finback¹

First recorded in 1715–25; fin ¹ + back ¹

Example Sentences

“Humpbacks, finbacks, sperm whales, and North Atlantic right whales were commonly hunted from shore.”

From National Geographic

Climb 41 steps to the lamp room, which has used a LED lantern since 2014 — and you may spot humpback, right and minke as well as finback whales circling in the deep waters below.

From New York Times

And the bodies of 28 humpback and 17 finback whales washed up on beaches in Alaska and British Columbia in Canada.

From Science Magazine

The black curve of a finback whale broke the surface of the grey water, and uninhabited islands dripped from the end of the continent like water from a leaky tap.

From The Guardian

“It was truly an incredible experience to witness these apex predators recycling the dead finback whale,” she added, in a subsequent post.

From Fox News

Related Words

• mammal
• porpoise