humpback whale vs humpback

humpback whale and humpback both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
humpback whale	Yes	No	No	No
humpback	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, humpback whale and humpback are synonyms defined as:

humpback whale and humpback: large whalebone whale with long flippers noted for arching or humping its back as it dives

Other synonyms of humpback whale include Megaptera novaeangliae.

humpback whale (noun)	humpback (noun)
large whalebone whale with long flippers noted for arching or humping its back as it dives	large whalebone whale with long flippers noted for arching or humping its back as it dives
	a person whose back is hunched because of abnormal curvature of the upper spine
	an abnormal backward curve to the vertebral column