humpback

[ huhmp-bak ]

noun

1. a back that is humped in a convex position.
2. kyphosis.
3. the humpback whale.

humpback

/ ˈhʌmpˌbæk /

noun

1. another word for hunchback
2. Also calledhumpback whale a large whalebone whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, closely related and similar to the rorquals but with a humped back and long flippers: family Balaenopteridae
3. a Pacific salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, the male of which has a humped back and hooked jaws
4. Also calledhumpback bridge a road bridge having a sharp incline and decline and usually a narrow roadway

Derived Forms

• ˈhumpˌbacked, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of humpback¹

First recorded in 1690–1700; apparently back formation from humpbacked

Word History and Origins

Origin of humpback¹

C17: alteration of earlier crumpbacked, perhaps influenced by hunchback ; perhaps related to Dutch homp lump

Example Sentences

The proposed sanctuary will protect over 200 shipwrecks, along with a diverse ecosystem featuring wildlife such as sea otters, humpback whales, leatherback sea turtles and lush kelp forests.

From Salon

An 1889 whaling travelogue recounts the sounds made by right whales and humpbacks note by note.

From Salon

Using the crossbow and a drone, the researchers will carry out up-close health checks on every humpback whale they can find, to work out if these massive mammals are getting enough to eat.

From BBC

A juvenile humpback whale is freed from entanglement — fishing equipment had been tightly wrapped around its tail — off the coast of Dana Point.

From Los Angeles Times

Video shows how a humpback whale suddenly appeared out of the water before flipping over a small, 23-foot vessel.

From BBC