humpback

noun

hump·​back ˈhəmp-ˌbak How to pronounce humpback (audio)
for sense 1 also
-ˈbak How to pronounce humpback (audio)
plural humpbacks
1
: a humped or crooked back
also : kyphosis
2
dated, offensive : a person with a humpback
3
: humpback whale
4
: pink salmon

Examples of humpback in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At the event, before Rothenberg triumphantly clarinet-riffed with recordings of sperm whales and humpbacks, Joe Valle, of Nonhuman Teachers, interviewed Nollman, with career-retrospective audiovisual enhancement. — Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 Whale Watching The waters around Channel Islands National Park teem with wildlife all year long, giving the chance to spot 27 different species of cetaceans, including humpback and gray whales, dolphins, porpoises, and orcas. — Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Aug. 2026 Much like language, the songs of humpbacks and many songbirds get transmitted from one generation to the next. — Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026 The growing humpback population and advances in technology, including drone monitoring, may reveal more about how and where the animals reproduce. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for humpback

Word History

First Known Use

1697, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of humpback was in 1697

Rhymes for humpback

See All Rhymes for humpback

Browse Nearby Words

hump
humpback
humpback dolphin
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Humpback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humpback. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

humpback

noun
hump·​back ˈhəmp-ˌbak How to pronounce humpback (audio)
1
: a humped or crooked back
2
: hunchback sense 1
3
: humpback whale
humpbacked
-ˈbakt
adjective

Medical Definition

humpback

noun
hump·​back
-ˌbak, for 1 also -ˈbak
: a humped or crooked back
also : kyphosis
humpbacked
-ˈbakt How to pronounce humpback (audio)
adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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