baleen
Americannoun
noun
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A flexible horny substance hanging in fringed plates from the upper jaw of baleen whales. It is used to strain plankton from seawater when feeding.
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Also called whalebone
Etymology
Origin of baleen
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English balene (from Anglo-French baleine, beleine, ) from Latin bal(l)ēna, variant of bal(l)aena “whale,” from an unidentified language, also the source of Greek phál(l)aina “whale”; replacing Middle English balayn, Middle French balaine “whale(bone),” from Latin, as above
Vocabulary lists containing baleen
Marine Biology - Introductory
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Marine Biology - Middle School
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Marine Biology - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A total 494 of common dolphins and 479 baleen whales had stranded over the 30-year period, according to the research.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2025
Minke whales, considered the smallest of the great, or baleen, whale family, can grow up to 26 feet long and weigh up to 14,000 pounds, according to NOAA.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2025
North Pacific right whales are baleen whales, which feed by straining huge volumes of ocean water through their comb-like baleen plates that trap copepods and other zooplankton.
From Seattle Times ● May 27, 2024
While previous studies have linked caller identity to acoustic tag data, this is the first robust method for studying large baleen whales, like humpback whales.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 25, 2024
The baleen only provided enough air for ten minutes, maybe twelve if they could keep calm, which he doubted they would.
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
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