whale

noun, plural whales, (especially collectively) whale.

1. any of the larger marine mammals of the order Cetacea, especially as distinguished from the smaller dolphins and porpoises, having a fishlike body, forelimbs modified into flippers, and a head that is horizontally flattened.
2. Informal. something big, great, or fine of its kind: I had a whale of a time in Europe.
3. (initial capital letter) Astronomy. the constellation Cetus.