What does beluga mean?
Beluga names two quite different things: a distinctive white whale of Arctic waters, and one of the world's most luxurious foods. The beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) is a small, all-white toothed whale found across the Arctic and sub-Arctic. Unusually among whales, its neck vertebrae are not fused, allowing it to turn its head, and its bulbous forehead can change shape as it vocalizes — producing such rich whistles and clicks that it earned the nickname 'sea canary'. Separately, beluga denotes the caviar harvested from the beluga sturgeon, a giant fish of the Caspian Sea region; its large, delicate eggs make it the most expensive caviar grade. Both senses derive from the Russian word for 'white'. In modern usage, context makes clear which meaning applies, and phrases like 'beluga whale' or 'beluga caviar' remove any ambiguity.
A small white toothed whale (Delphinapterus leucas) inhabiting Arctic and sub-Arctic coastal waters.
"A curious beluga approached the divers, clicking and whistling as it circled."
Usually pluralized as "belugas", though the unmarked form also occurs.
The finest and most expensive grade of caviar, made from the roe of the beluga sturgeon of the Caspian and Black Sea regions.
"The restaurant's tasting menu featured a single spoonful of beluga on a chilled mother-of-pearl spoon."
The standard plural is "belugas"; when referring to caviar, the noun is typically treated as uncountable.
"During summer, hundreds of belugas gather in the Churchill River estuary."
Nicknamed the 'sea canary', the beluga is so vocal — chirping, whistling, and even mimicking human speech — that sailors once mistook its calls for voices in the fog.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of beluga
Beluga entered English in the late 16th or early 17th century, borrowed from Russian beluga (бeлуга), related to belyi, meaning 'white' — a reference both to the whale's pale colouring and, by extension, to the prized pale caviar of the sturgeon bearing the same name. The same Slavic root for 'white' appears in Belarus ('White Russia'). The name was applied independently to the whale and to the sturgeon whose roe became known as beluga caviar.
How beluga is actually used
When used alone, "beluga" most often refers to the whale, though in gastronomic contexts it refers to the caviar; writers frequently disambiguate with "beluga whale" or "beluga caviar". The plural is usually "belugas", though "beluga" is sometimes left unchanged.
Easily confused with beluga
Both are small Arctic whales often mentioned together, but a beluga is plain white with no tusk, whereas a narwhal is mottled grey and the male bears a long spiral tusk.