whaler

/ˈweɪlə/

//ˈweɪlə// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"whaler" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“whaler” is uncommon English (frequency #62,618 among 12,113 “W” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#62,618
frequency rank, English
12,113
“W” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - One who hunts whales; any person employed in the whaling industry.

Key facts for whaler
PropertyValue
Headwordwhaler
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈweɪlə/
Letters6
Frequency rank#62,618
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “whaler” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). whaler lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

whaler is uncommon English at frequency #62,618 among 12,113 “W” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈweɪlə/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 7 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for whaler in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From whale + -er. In sense 1, displaced Old English hwælhunta (literally “whale hunter”). The correct English form is whaler, spelled W-H-A-L-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    One who hunts whales; any person employed in the whaling industry.
  2. 2
    A seagoing vessel used for hunting whales.
  3. 3
    One who whales (flogs or beats).
  4. 4
    A large, strong person.
  5. 5
    Something of unusually great size, a whopper, a whacker.
  6. 6
    Any shark of the family Carcharhinidae; a requiem shark.
  7. 7
    A sundowner; one who cruises about.

Etymology

From whale + -er. In sense 1, displaced Old English hwælhunta (literally “whale hunter”).

This word in other languages

ballenero(Español)baleinier(Français)Walfänger(Deutsch)baleeiro(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "whaler"?
"whaler" is spelled W-H-A-L-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈweɪlə/.
What does "whaler" mean?
As a noun, "whaler" means: One who hunts whales; any person employed in the whaling industry.
How do you pronounce "whaler"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "whaler" is /ˈweɪlə/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "whaler"?
From whale + -er. In sense 1, displaced Old English hwælhunta (literally “whale hunter”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “whaler”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is W-H-A-L-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈweɪlə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list