| right whale n. Any of several whales of the family Balaenidae, characterized by a large head, whalebone plates in the mouth, and absence of a dorsal fin. [Because it was the "right" whale to kill.] |
right whale
n
(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) any large whalebone whale of the family Balaenidae. They are grey or black, have a large head, and, in most, no dorsal fin, and are hunted as a source of whalebone and oil See also bowhead
[perhaps so named because it was right for hunting]
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  right whale - large Arctic whalebone whale; allegedly the `right' whale to hunt because of its valuable whalebone and oilbaleen whale, whalebone whale - whale with plates of whalebone along the upper jaw for filtering plankton from the water Balaenidae, family Balaenidae - right whales |
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