white whale

noun

1. beluga ( def 2 ).

white whale

noun

1. a small white toothed whale, Delphinapterus leucas, of northern waters: family Monodontidae Also calledbeluga

Word History and Origins

Origin of white whale¹

First recorded in 1680–90

Example Sentences

The tame white whale, which locals named Hvaldimir, made headlines five years ago amidst widespread speculation that it was a Russian spy.

From BBC

Beside taste, price parity is the other white whale that meat and dairy substitutes have been chasing.

From Salon

As for Rome, he doesn’t regret devoting a career to chasing what some might see as a white whale.

From Science Magazine

“Jodorowsky’s Dune” is a chronicle of a man — to mix my literary allusions — on a quixotic quest for his personal white whale.

From New York Times

The Record Store Day release became his white whale.

From Seattle Times