sperm whalen.
a. The spermaceti whale, Physeter macrocephalus; = cachalot n.
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the world > animals > mammals > order Cetacea (whales) > suborder Odontoceti > [noun] > family Physeteridae > genus Physeter (sperm whale)
trumpa1625
spermaceti whale1658
pot-walfish1694
parmacety1705
pot-fish1744
cachalot1747
physeter1753
sperm whale1839
sperm1840
macrocephalus1851
greyhead1859
physeteroid1876
1839 T. Beale Nat. Hist. Sperm Whale 3 The sperm whale is one of the most noiseless of marine animals.
1860 P. H. Gosse Romance Nat. Hist. 48 In the midst of this war of the elements appear a pair of sperm-whales.
1884 G. B. Goode in G. B. Goode et al. Fisheries U.S.: Sect. I 7 The Sperm Whale..was first described by Clusius in 1605 from specimens cast up on the coast of Holland in 1598 and 1601.
b. Applied, with distinguishing epithets, to species of whales resembling, or related to, this.
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1882 Cassell's Encycl. Dict. II. i. at Cachalot The Mexican Sperm-whale (Catodon Colneti).
1882 Cassell's Encycl. Dict. II. i. at Cachalot The South Sea Sperm-whale, found..in the Southern Ocean.
1891 Cent. Dict. (at cited word) Porpoise sperm-whale, a pygmy sperm-whale, or snub-nosed cachalot.
Compounds
C1. attributive, as sperm-whale fishery, sperm-whale fishing, etc.
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1839 T. Beale Nat. Hist. Sperm Whale 136 Rise and Progress of the Sperm Whale Fishery.
1887 G. B. Goode Fisheries U.S. 69 The next important sperm-whale ground to be discovered was the Japan Ground.
1888 Encycl. Brit. XXIV. 528/1 American Fisheries..Sperm whale fishing seems to have commenced early in the 18th century.
C2.
sperm-whale porpoise n. (see quot.).
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1884 G. B. Goode in G. B. Goode et al. Fisheries U.S.: Sect. I 18 The Sperm Whale Porpoise,..Hyperaodon bidens.
Derivatives
sperm-whaler n. a person or vessel engaged in the capture of sperm-whales.
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society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > fishing vessel > [noun] > whaling vessel
Greenlandman1659
whale-boat1682
whalefisherman1724
whaleman1767
whaler1806
spouter1815
whale-ship1820
catcher1829
sperm-whaler1834
blubber-boiler1851
plum-puddinger1851
five-boater1887
bay whaler1905
society > occupation and work > industry > whaling and seal-hunting > whaling > whale-hunter > [noun]
whale-hunter1598
whale-killer1613
whale-striker1613
whaler1684
whaleman1704
whalefisherman1724
whale-fisher1773
sperm-whaler1834
whalermana1894
1834 Tait's Edinb. Mag. New Ser. 1 411/1 The London sperm-whalers are generally large vessels.
1840 F. D. Bennett Narr. Whaling Voy. II. 202 Difficulties that oppose the Sperm-Whaler's success.
sperm-whaling n.
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society > occupation and work > industry > whaling and seal-hunting > whaling > [noun]
whale-fishing1582
whale-hunting1615
whale-killing1625
whalery1683
whale-catching1685
whaling1704
whale-fishery1820
whale-striking1821
sperm-whaling1851
1851 Lit. Gaz. 11 Jan. 30/3 The graphic accounts of sperm-whaling, by Beale and Bennett.
1887 G. B. Goode Fisheries U.S. 69 Sperm-whaling at New Zealand and the offshore ground.
sperm-whale v.
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?1863 in Pall Mall Gaz. (1895) 16 Dec. 2/1 Accidentally killed while sperm-whaling off the Brazil Banks.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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