beluga

Everyday

1. A beluga (or beluga whale) is a white whale of the Arctic with a round head, no back fin, and a very wide range of whistles and clicks; it is sometimes called the «sea canary». tree →
2. A beluga is also a very large fish, a kind of sturgeon, whose eggs are sold as expensive caviar. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons about the Arctic and sea mammals, the beluga uses echolocation to find food, can turn its head because its neck bones are not joined, and its white colour hides it among ice. Babies are born grey. Belugas face danger from pollution, noise and melting ice. Phrases: beluga whale, a pod of belugas, beluga caviar.

Examples

• The beluga whale is completely white. tree →
• Belugas make so many sounds they are called sea canaries. tree →
• A pod of belugas swam up the river. tree →
• Baby belugas are grey and turn white as they grow. tree →
• A beluga can move its head from side to side. tree →
• Belugas have no back fin, which helps them swim under ice. tree →
• We sang the song «Baby Beluga» in the nursery. tree →
• Beluga caviar comes from a huge fish, not a whale. tree →

Note

Countable: a beluga, belugas. Pronounced «buh-LOO-guh». The word comes from Russian «belyi», meaning white. Two different animals share the name: the whale (a mammal) and the sturgeon (a fish); context tells you which.