sperm whale (English)

Where does "sperm whale" come from?

The name "sperm whale" is a shortened clipping of the original "spermaceti whale." This earlier term drew from the Latin "spermaceti," meaning "sperm of a whale," reflecting the historical misconception that the waxy substance found in the animal's head was actually its semen.

Full etymology tree

• sperm whale (English), 'A whale (Physeter macrocephalus), the largest of the toothed whales.'
  • clipping spermaceti whale (English), 'A sperm whale.'

Updated July 2026

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris