whale

Meaning

Noun

1. Any one of numerous large marine mammals comprising an informal group within infraorder Cetacea that usually excludes dolphins and porpoises.
2. (broadly) Any species of Cetacea.
3. (figuratively) Something, or someone, that is very large.
4. (figuratively) Something, or someone, that is excellent.
5. (figuratively) A gambler who routinely wagers large amounts of money.
6. (figuratively, informal) An investor who deals with very large amounts of money.
7. (figuratively) A person who spends large amounts of money on things that are marketed to them.
8. (colloquial, derogatory, figuratively) An overweight person (usually a woman)

Verb

To hunt for whales.

Verb

To thrash, to flog, to beat vigorously or soundly.

Synonyms

hulk

giant

heavyweight

cetacean

beat

oil

sturgeon

thrash

wale

whip

sea monster

cetaceac

blower

dolphin

🐬

huge

leviathan

Translations

baleine

🐳

balena

🐳

Wal

🐳

ballena

🐳

baleia

🐳

walvis

🐳

φάλαινα

balena

🐳

balaena

balina

🐳

Walfisch

🐳

cetáceo

hûf

balîna

🐳

Pronounced as (IPA)

/weɪl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: whale

Inherited from Old English: hwæl

Cognate with German: Wal

Cognate with Swedish: val

Cognate with Danish: -

Cognate with Norwegian Bokmål: hval

Cognate with Norwegian Nynorsk: kval

Cognate with Dutch: walvis

Cognate with Western Frisian: walfisk

Cognate with German: Wels

Cognate with Latin: squalus

Cognate with Prussian: kalis

Cognate with Ancient Greek: ἄσπαλος

Cognate with Avestan: 𐬐𐬀𐬭𐬀

In summary

From Middle English whal, whale, from Old English hwæl (“whale”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwal, from Proto-Germanic *hwalaz (“whale”) (compare German Wal, Swedish val, Danish and Norwegian Bokmål hval, Norwegian Nynorsk kval; compare also Dutch walvis, West Frisian walfisk, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kʷálos (“sheatfish”) (compare German Wels, Latin squalus (“big sea fish”), Old Prussian kalis, Ancient Greek ἄσπαλος (áspalos), Avestan 𐬐𐬀𐬭𐬀 (kara, “kind of fish”)).