whaler

[ hwey-ler, wey- ]

noun

1. a person or vessel employed in whaling. whale. whaling.

whaler

/ ˈweɪlə /

noun

1. Also called (US)whaleman a person employed in whaling
2. a vessel engaged in whaling See factory ship whale catcher
3. another word for whaleboat
4. a nomad surviving in the bush without working
5. short for whaler shark

Word History and Origins

Origin of whaler¹

First recorded in 1675–85; whale ¹ + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Before the 1930s, an estimated 40,000 blue whales were killed by whalers in South Georgia waters.

From BBC

In this final section, a haunting combination of music and dance, Brooks calls up ghosts and ancestors from whalers and slave ships.

From New York Times

A whaler's forgotten aerial photos from 1937 have given researchers at the University of Copenhagen the most detailed picture of the ice evolution in East Antarctica to date.

From Science Daily

Many were inadvertently introduced by whalers and sealers in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

From Science Daily

More than 150 years ago, a San Francisco whaler noticed something about killer whales that scientists may be about to formally recognize — at least in name.

From Los Angeles Times