baleen
keratinous material that makes up the plates in the mouth of the baleen whale (Mysticeti), which it uses to trap its food; formerly used in corsetry.
Other meanings
A baleen whale (Mysticeti).
Any whale or large fish.
Related words
- baleen whale
- intrabaleen
Word history
From Old French "baleine" (whale, whalebone).
Where this comes from
This definition is adapted from “baleen” on Wiktionary, by its contributors, published under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page is published under the same licence.