noun
baleen
Baleen (noun) means the hard, comb-like material that hangs from the upper jaw of certain whales and is used to filter food from water; it was once used to stiffen corsets.
noun
1
The hard, comb-like material that hangs from the upper jaw of certain whales and is used to filter food from water; it was once used to stiffen corsets.
"“You have probably never seen anything like this before, Mr. Toler. It is baleen, or if you prefer it, whalebone, taken from the mouth of the bowhead whale. It is used by the whale to filter its food.”"
— Alexander Alderson (1954)
2
A whale that has these comb-like feeding plates instead of teeth.
"Scammon estimates the number of baleens killed in the years 1835-72 at 131,000; once again, his figure needs to be adjusted."
— Lance E. Davis, In Pursuit of Leviathan: Technology (2007)
3
Any kind of whale or large fish.
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Etymology
This word came into English as Middle English baleyne, taken from Old French baleine (“whale, whalebone”), which itself came from Latin balaena (“whale”), traced back to Ancient Greek φάλαινα (phálaina, “whale”).
Synonyms
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whalebone
Rhymes for baleen
See all rhymes for baleen →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of baleen?
"baleen" (noun) means the hard, comb-like material that hangs from the upper jaw of certain whales and is used to filter food from water; it was once used to stiffen corsets.
What is another word for baleen?
Other words for "baleen" include whalebone.
What are the different meanings of baleen?
"baleen" has 3 main meanings: 1. The hard, comb-like material that hangs from the upper jaw of certain whales and is used to filter food from water; it was once used to stiffen corsets; 2. A whale that has these comb-like feeding plates instead of teeth; 3. Any kind of whale or large fish.
