any of several whalebone whales of the genus Balaenoptera, esp B. physalus: family Balaenopteridae. They have a dorsal fin and a series of grooves along the throat and chest
Also called: finback
Word origin
C19: from French, from Norwegian rörhval, from Old Norse reytharhvalr, from reythr (from rauthr red) + hvalr whale
finback in American English
(ˈfɪnˌbæk)
noun
any baleen whale of the genus Balaenoptera, having a prominent dorsal fin, esp. B. physalus, of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts; rorqual: an endangered species
Also called: finback whale, fin whale
Word origin
[1715–25; fin + back1]This word is first recorded in the period 1715–25. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: anesthesia, blackleg, dugout, federation, leverage