right whale

R r

Transcription

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
- [rahyt hweyl, weyl]
- /raɪt ʰweɪl, weɪl/
- /raɪt weɪl/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [rahyt hweyl, weyl]
- /raɪt ʰweɪl, weɪl/

Definitions of right whale words

noun right whale any of several large whalebone whales of the genus Balaena, of circumpolar seas: the species B. glacialis is greatly reduced in numbers. 1
noun right whale large endangered sea mammal 1
noun right whale any large whalebone whale of the family Balaenidae. They are grey or black, have a large head, and, in most, no dorsal fin, and are hunted as a source of whalebone and oil 0
noun right whale any of a family (Balaenidae) of large-headed baleen whales lacking a dorsal fin and longitudinal wrinkles on the throat and chest 0

See all 4 definitions of right whale

Information block about the term

Origin of right whale

First appearance:

before 1715

One of the 49% newest English words

First recorded in 1715-25; allegedly so called because it was the “right” whale to hunt, alluding to its relative buoyancy when killed, proximity to land, the value of its blubber, etc.

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Right whale

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

Full grammatical hierarchy of Right whale

right whale popularity

A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 37% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.

According to our data about 65% of words is more used. This is a rare but used term. It occurs in the pages of specialized literature and in the speech of educated people.

right whale usage trend in Literature

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