White Whale

B2 8+

Pronunciation: /waɪt weɪl/

Definitions of white whale

noun a legendary white-colored sperm whale in the novel Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

Example Sentences

A1 The white whale is a large marine mammal.

A2 Captain Ahab was obsessed with hunting the white whale in the novel Moby Dick.

B1 The crew of the ship was on a mission to find the elusive white whale.

B2 The white whale symbolizes the ultimate challenge for the seasoned whalers.

C1 The legend of the white whale continues to captivate maritime enthusiasts.

C2 The white whale remains a mythical creature in the lore of the sea.

Examples of white whale in a Sentence

formal The white whale is a rare and majestic creature often sought after by researchers for study.

informal Have you ever seen a white whale in real life? They're so cool!

slang Dude, that white whale we saw on our boat trip was totally lit.

figurative To him, finding the white whale symbolized achieving the impossible dream.

Grammatical Forms of white whale

plural

white whales

comparative

whiter whale

superlative

whitest whale

present tense

is a white whale

future tense

will be a white whale

perfect tense

has been a white whale

continuous tense

is being a white whale

singular

white whale

positive degree

very white whale

infinitive

to be a white whale

gerund

being a white whale

participle

a white whale swimming

Origin and Evolution of white whale

First Known Use: 1851 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: The term 'white whale' originates from the novel 'Moby-Dick' written by Herman Melville, where the white whale is a symbolic and elusive creature pursued by the protagonist.
Evolution of the word: Originally used in a literary context to refer to the mythical white whale in 'Moby-Dick', the term has since evolved to symbolize something rare, elusive, or unattainable in popular culture and everyday language.