rorqual

[rawr-kwuh l] /ˈrɔr kwəl/

noun

any of several whales of the genus Balaenoptera; finback.

Origin

1820-30; < French < Norwegian rørkval, Old Norse reytharhvalr, equivalent to reyth(a)r rorqual (akin to rauthr red¹) + hvalr whale¹

Examples from the web for rorqual

Gulping behaviour in rorqual whales: underwater observations and functional interpretation.
These were easily identified due to their bumpy rostrum, rorqual streaks, blowhole placement and dorsal fin.
Reconstructing the rorqual phylogeny: with comments on the use of molecular and morphological data for systematic study.
The fin whale is the second largest rorqual in size and is also cosmopolitan in distribution.

British Dictionary definitions for rorqual

rorqual

/ˈrɔːkwəl/

noun

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