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Definition of whale shark
whale shark
Plural:whale sharks
whale shark Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
4
Tier
2
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A massive, slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark found in tropical and warm-temperate oceans, recognized as the largest known extant fish species.
Example
"During our dive in the Maldives, we were fortunate enough to swim alongside a massive whale shark as it filtered plankton from the water."
Word Nuance & Usage
Despite its name, the whale shark is a true shark (a fish), not a marine mammal; it is named for its massive size and filter-feeding habits that resemble those of baleen whales.
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the 19th century by Andrew Smith, combining 'whale' and 'shark' to describe the animal's immense, whale-like proportions and filter-feeding diet.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Whale shark. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/whale shark