sperm whale

noun

ˈspərm- How to pronounce sperm whale (audio)
: a very large toothed whale (Physeter macrocephalus synonym P. catodon) that has large conical teeth in the lower jaw, a single blowhole, and a massive squarish head with a closed cavity containing a fluid mixture of spermaceti and oil, and that may reach a length in the male of nearly 60 feet (18.3 meters)

Illustration of sperm whale

Illustration of sperm whale

Examples of sperm whale 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 The town attracts visitors year-round to encounter sperm whales that can reach nearly 50 ft (15 m) in length, as well as humpback whales, pilot whales, orcas, and porpoises. — New Atlas, 28 Aug. 2026 The evidence for this clash of oceanic titans comes from sperm whale skin and stomach contents. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Aug. 2026 The authors collected data from 42 sleeping sperm whales off the coast of northern Norway by attaching small tags via suction cups to their bodies. — ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sperm whale

Word History

Etymology

short for spermaceti whale

First Known Use

circa 1700, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sperm whale was circa 1700

Rhymes for sperm whale

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Browse Nearby Words

-spermum
sperm whale
sperm-whale porpoise
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Cite this Entry

“Sperm whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sperm%20whale. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sperm whale

noun
: a large toothed whale with a large chamber in the skull that contains a fluid mixture of spermaceti and oil

More from Merriam-Webster on sperm whale

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sperm whale

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