basking shark
noun
bask·ing shark ˈba-skiŋ- 
: a large plankton-feeding shark (Cetorhinus maximus) that has an oil-rich liver and may attain a length of up to 45 feet (13.7 meters)
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Sharks were first included in Appendix II of CITES in 2003, after decision makers decided to include the basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) and whale shark (Rhincodon typus) in Appendix II. 
Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2021 Oregon's Department of Fish & Wildlife lists the salmon shark, spiny dogfish, soupfin shark, common thresher shark, basking shark, blue shark as native to its coastal waters, among others. Julia Musto, Fox News, 26 Aug. 2021 The eagle shark might have had tiny, pointed teeth like the basking shark and the megamouth—two modern filter-feeding sharks—or taken a different strategy. Theresa Machemer, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Mar. 2021 This week SharkFest is taking a look at the wilder side of sharks, including the exclusive peek above at the basking shark. Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, 14 Aug. 2020 The shark can reach weights of 2,600 pounds and is considered the smallest of the three species of filter-feeding sharks, behind the whale shark and the basking shark, according to conservation group Oceana. Amanda Jackson, CNN, 11 Aug. 2020 The largest common shark species in Massachusetts is the basking shark, said Skomal. Don Lyman, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Aug. 2019 Global populations of basking shark dropped during the 20th century and the species has struggled to recover because of slow reproduction rates. Christopher Carbone, Fox News, 19 Aug. 2018 The series of fortunate events started in August 2014, when the shark was tagged with a satellite transmitter just off of Malin Head, a hotspot for basking sharks in the northeast Atlantic. Kirsi Goldynia, CNN, 18 Nov. 2019 See More
Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2021 Oregon's Department of Fish & Wildlife lists the salmon shark, spiny dogfish, soupfin shark, common thresher shark, basking shark, blue shark as native to its coastal waters, among others. Julia Musto, Fox News, 26 Aug. 2021 The eagle shark might have had tiny, pointed teeth like the basking shark and the megamouth—two modern filter-feeding sharks—or taken a different strategy. Theresa Machemer, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Mar. 2021 This week SharkFest is taking a look at the wilder side of sharks, including the exclusive peek above at the basking shark. Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, 14 Aug. 2020 The shark can reach weights of 2,600 pounds and is considered the smallest of the three species of filter-feeding sharks, behind the whale shark and the basking shark, according to conservation group Oceana. Amanda Jackson, CNN, 11 Aug. 2020 The largest common shark species in Massachusetts is the basking shark, said Skomal. Don Lyman, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Aug. 2019 Global populations of basking shark dropped during the 20th century and the species has struggled to recover because of slow reproduction rates. Christopher Carbone, Fox News, 19 Aug. 2018 The series of fortunate events started in August 2014, when the shark was tagged with a satellite transmitter just off of Malin Head, a hotspot for basking sharks in the northeast Atlantic. Kirsi Goldynia, CNN, 18 Nov. 2019 See More Word History
First Known Use
circa 1769, in the meaning defined above