pilot whale

noun

1. a small, common whale, Globicephala sieboldii, of tropical and temperate seas, having a bulbous head.

pilot whale

noun

1. any of several black toothed whales of the genus Globicephala, such as G. melaena, that occur in all seas except polar seas: family Delphinidae Also calledblack whaleblackfish

Word History and Origins

Origin of pilot whale¹

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

The burial operation for a pod of 77 pilot whales that died after washing ashore in Orkney is under way.

From BBC

A pod of 77 pilot whales that died after washing ashore in Orkney were healthy before they became stranded, according to initial findings.

From BBC

More than 100 long-finned pilot whales stranded along the shores of Western Australia on Thursday have returned to the ocean, while 29 died on the beach, wildlife officials said.

From New York Times

Menopause is known to exist in five species of toothed whale: short-finned pilot whales, false killer whales, killer whales, narwhals and beluga whales.

From Science Daily

Five whale species — killer whales, false killer whales, beluga whales, short-finned pilot whales and narwhals — don’t fit that pattern.

From New York Times