basking shark

noun

bask·​ing shark ˈba-skiŋ- How to pronounce basking shark (audio)
: a large plankton-feeding shark (Cetorhinus maximus) that has an oil-rich liver and may attain a length of up to 45 feet (13.7 meters)

Examples of basking shark in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Catching a glimpse of a basking shark off the Southern California coast is rare. Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2024 Beth Scott, an ecologist at Aberdeen University in Scotland, worries that if the kites aren’t placed strategically, the structures might block smaller tidal streams where sea animals — particularly large marine mammals and fish like basking sharks — tend to pass through. Discover Magazine, 16 Feb. 2024 Local guides, such as Paul Hudd of JP Orkney, have the low down on the best places to see minke whales, basking sharks, orcas, and dolphins, as well as arranging personal island tours with Malcolm Macrae, the 12th Laird of Breckness. Lucy Alexander, Robb Report, 28 Apr. 2023 That includes some species of whales, dolphins, manatees, tuna, basking sharks and turtles. Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2023 That shark was also a basking shark. BostonGlobe.com, 2 June 2021 Help monitor basking shark and ocean sunfish in New England waters by sending in your photos from the seas! Darlene Cavalier, Discover Magazine, 21 July 2017 The largest fish, both living (the whale shark and basking shark) and extinct (Leedsichthys), are all filter-feeders. Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 9 Dec. 2010 Shark pregnancies can last longer than 3 years On average, sharks give birth after 11 or 12 months of pregnancy, but some sharks, such as the frilled shark and basking shark can be pregnant for over three years. Rachel Fadem, CNN, 26 July 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'basking shark.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1769, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of basking shark was circa 1769

Dictionary Entries Near basking shark

Cite this Entry

“Basking shark.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basking%20shark. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

basking shark

noun
: a large shark that feeds on plankton and may reach 45 feet (13.7 meters) in length

More from Merriam-Webster on basking shark

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