beluga

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: be=lu=ga

CIDE DICTIONARY

beluga, n. [Russ. bieluga a sort of large sturgeon, prop. white fish, fr. bieluii white. The whale is now commonly called bieluka in Russian.].

•  A cetacean allied to the dolphins.  [1913 Webster]

  " The northern beluga (Delphinapterus catodon) is the white whale and white fish of the whalers. It grows to be from twelve to eighteen feet long."  [1913 Webster]
•  the sturgeon (Huso huso) native to the Black Sea and Caspian Sea; -- also called hausen. It is valued for its roe, sold as caviar, and is also used for production of isinglass. See also sturgeon.  [PJC]
•  the caviar obtained from the beluga{2}; -- also called beluga caviar. The caviar of the beluga is considered the finest sort, larger and of a taste superior to that obtained from other sturgeon. See also sturgeon and caviar.  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

beluga, n.
1 a a large kind of sturgeon, Huso huso. b caviare obtained from it.
2 a white whale.

Etymology

Russ. beluga f. belyi white