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OP I just started to read an article about sperm whales in latest Smithsonian, when it
occurred to me that I did not know why they were so named. I know that one of
the valuable substances they provide is "spermaceti" which goes back to Middle
English, and is a white wax-like substance taken from the oil in the head of the
whale. I find it hard to believe that it is so named for any resemblance to the
male sexual ejaculate. I found some good sites about the whales on the Internet,
but no mention about how the name was derived. Who can tell me?
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