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
rorqual in American English
(ˈrɔrkwəl)
noun
any of a family (Balaenopteridae) of baleen whales with a well-developed dorsal fin and longitudinal furrows on its belly and throat; esp., any of a genus (Balaenoptera) that includes the sei whale and blue whale
Word origin
Fr < Norw röyrkval < ON reytharhvalr < reythr, rorqual (prob. akin to rautha < IE base *reudh-, red) + hvalr, whale1: hence lit., red whale, from the reddish streaks in the skin