Search Dictionary
Definition of basking shark
basking shark
Plural:basking sharks
basking shark Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
8
Tier
2
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A large, slow-moving, filter-feeding shark (Cetorhinus maximus) found in temperate oceans globally, known as the second-largest living fish, distinguished by its habit of swimming close to the surface with its massive mouth open to catch plankton.
Example
"While conducting marine surveys off the coast of Scotland, the researchers observed a massive basking shark slowly filtering zooplankton near the surface."
Word Origin & Etymology
The name derives from the shark's habit of swimming slowly at the water's surface to filter-feed, making it appear as though it is basking in the warmer surface water and sun.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Basking shark. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/basking shark