Illustration of minke whale
variants
or less commonly minke
: a small gray to black baleen whale (genus Balaenoptera) with a whitish underside and a relatively narrow, pointed snout:
a
: one (B. acutorostrata) chiefly of the northern hemisphere
called also common minke whale, northern minke whale
b
: one (B. bonaerensis) of the southern hemisphere that was formerly classified in the same species as the northern form
called also Antarctic minke, southern minke whale
see rorqual
Examples of minke whale in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Head out onto the water to sail around the archipelago, keeping your eyes peeled for breaching minke whales and bearded seals, as well as shaggy muskoxen—one of the few megafauna to survive the Ice Age—and Arctic wolves patrolling the shoreline.
—
Chloe Berge, Outside Online, 17 June 2025
The minke whale was found offshore near the city of Emeryville on April 7 in poor health, with skin peeling and a reddish hue across its back due to severe sunburn.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
In the same area, a minke whale was spotted before a humpback whale and its baby was seen as boaters passed the harbor, the group said.
—Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2025
Elevated viewpoints like the Point Reyes Lighthouse, the end of the Chimney Rock Trail and the Tomales Point Trail provide ideal vantage points for spotting migrating humpback, blue and fin whales, or the resident minke whales and orcas.
—Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
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Chloe Berge, Outside Online, 17 June 2025
The minke whale was found offshore near the city of Emeryville on April 7 in poor health, with skin peeling and a reddish hue across its back due to severe sunburn.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
In the same area, a minke whale was spotted before a humpback whale and its baby was seen as boaters passed the harbor, the group said.
—Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2025
Elevated viewpoints like the Point Reyes Lighthouse, the end of the Chimney Rock Trail and the Tomales Point Trail provide ideal vantage points for spotting migrating humpback, blue and fin whales, or the resident minke whales and orcas.
—Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for minke whale
Cite this Entry
“Minke whale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minke%20whale. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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