Definition of "basking shark" []

• A very large shark (Cetorhinus maximus) that measures up to about 12 meters (40 feet) in length, feeds on plankton, and often floats near the surface of water. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.