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Definition of beluga whale

beluga whale

Plural:beluga whales
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beluga whale Lexical Profile

• noun

1

A small, toothed whale (Delphinapterus leucas) native to the Arctic and subarctic oceans, easily recognized by its striking white coloration and prominent rounded forehead.

Example

"During our expedition to the Canadian Arctic, we were thrilled to see a pod of beluga whales swimming near the sea ice."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for beluga whale

• Nearby Words

belted kingfisher
beluga
beluga sturgeon
beluga whale
belukha
belyando
bembix

Word Origin & Etymology

The word 'beluga' comes from the Russian 'belukha', which derives from 'belyy', meaning 'white'. It is combined with the Old English 'hwæl' (whale), denoting a marine mammal.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Beluga whale. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/beluga whale
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