cachalot

Noun

large whale with a large cavity in the head containing spermaceti and oil; also a source of ambergris
The sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus.

Origin / Etymology

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *kap-
Proto-Indo-European *-yéti
Proto-Indo-European *kapyéti
Proto-Italic *kapjō
Old Latin kapiō
Latin capiō
Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr
Proto-Indo-European *-trom
Proto-Indo-European *-tlomder.
Latin -ulum
Latin capulum
Portuguese cacho
Portuguese -ola
Portuguese cachola
Portuguese -ote
Portuguese cachalotebor.
French cachalotbor.
English cachalot
Borrowed from French cachalot, from Portuguese cachalote, from cachola (“head”) + -ote.

Synonyms

black whale, Physeter catodon, sperm whale

Scrabble Score: 15

cachalot is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
cachalot is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
cachalot is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 17

cachalot is a valid Words With Friends word