whale shark

noun

: a shark (Rhincodon typus) of warm waters that has small teeth, feeds chiefly on plankton strained by its gill rakers, may sometimes attain a length of up to 60 feet (18.3 meters), and is the largest known fish

Examples of whale shark in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For whale sharks, June through September is peak season. Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2024 The archipelago is also home to around 4,000 shy endangered dugongs, a species that feeds on seagrass beds and plays an important role in the overall ecosystem, and at certain times of year, whale sharks can be found here. Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 26 June 2023 In it, the whale shark is seen slowly swimming around the boat. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 8 Feb. 2024 But the waters surrounding the archipelago are also brimming with biodiversity, including nearly 3,000 species ranging from pint-size penguins to colossal whale sharks. Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 2 Nov. 2023 In multiple videos sent to AL.com by Cory Kauffman, a whale shark can be seen approaching the boat from which Kauffman and companion Jacob Nixon were fishing. Warren Kulo | Wkulo@al.com, al, 18 July 2023 The area is well known among scuba divers for its bustling underwater life: There are over 70 types of coral and common sightings include stingrays, turtles, whale sharks, and dolphins. Laura Giannatempo, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Nov. 2023 For scuba divers and snorkelers, visibility is particularly good during the dry season, too, as a result of currents flowing from the northeast (the eastern atolls enjoy the best visibility, with whale sharks and manta rays most commonly spotted between August and November). Anna Prendergast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Nov. 2023 An enormous whale shark can be seen feeding on a bustling school of anchovies off the coast of Hawaii in new, rare video, which researchers captured while conducting fieldwork around the island of Oahu earlier this month. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whale 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 1885, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of whale shark was circa 1885

Dictionary Entries Near whale shark

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

whale shark

noun
: a harmless shark of warm waters that feeds chiefly on plankton, may sometimes grow to a length of up to 60 feet (18.3 meters), and is the largest known fish

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