Meanings
plural baleens
- uncountablemedicinekeratinous 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.
“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.”
1954, Alexander Alderson, chapter 5, in The Subtle MinotaurSynonyms: whalebone
- countablebiologyA baleen whale (Mysticeti).
Scammon estimates the number of baleens killed in the years 1835-72 at 131,000; once again, his figure needs to be adjusted.
2007, Lance E. Davis, In Pursuit of Leviathan: Technology, Institutions, Productivity, and Profits - countableobsoleteuncountableAny whale or large fish.
The Balene is a fishe great and huge, much like to the Whale, and is so called, because of his outcasting and shedding of water, for they throwe water higher then other great fishes of the sea.
1572, John Bossewell, Workes of Armorie
Synonyms & antonyms
nounkeratinous 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.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna horny material from the upper jaws of certain whales; used as the ribs of fans or as stays in corsets
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Ancient Greekφάλαινα“whale”
- Latinbalaena“whale”
- Old Frenchbaleine“whale, whalebone”
- Middle Englishbaleyne
- Englishbaleen
From Middle English baleyne, from Old French baleine (“whale, whalebone”), from Latin balaena (“whale”), from Ancient Greek φάλαινα (phálaina, “whale”).
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian бале́на, китова кост
- бале́на (baléna)plates in mouth of baleen whale
- китова кост (kitova kost)plates in mouth of baleen whale
Chinese Mandarin 鯨鬚 /鲸须
- 鯨鬚 /鲸须 (jīngxū)plates in mouth of baleen whale
Czech kostice
- kosticeplates in mouth of baleen whale
Dutch balein
- baleinplates in mouth of baleen whale
Esperanto balenosto, balenlameno
- balenostoplates in mouth of baleen whale
- balenlamenoplates in mouth of baleen whale
- bartoplates in mouth of baleen whale
Finnish hetula
- hetulaplates in mouth of baleen whale
French fanon
- fanonplates in mouth of baleen whale
German Barte
- Barteplates in mouth of baleen whale
Greek μπανέλα, μπαλένα
- μπανέλα (banéla)plates in mouth of baleen whale
- μπαλένα (baléna)plates in mouth of baleen whale
Indonesian balin
- balinplates in mouth of baleen whale
Italian fanone
- fanoneplates in mouth of baleen whale
Māori pāhautea
- pāhauteaplates in mouth of baleen whale
Persian صفحه شانهای
- صفحه شانهایplates in mouth of baleen whale
Polish fiszbin
- fiszbinplates in mouth of baleen whale
Portuguese barbas de baleia
- barbas de baleiaplates in mouth of baleen whale
Romanian fanon
- fanonplates in mouth of baleen whale
Russian кито́вый ус
- кито́вый ус (kitóvyj us)plates in mouth of baleen whale
Spanish barbas de ballena
- barbas de ballenaplates in mouth of baleen whale
Swahili mfupanyangumi
- mfupanyangumiplates in mouth of baleen whale
Swedish bard
- bardplates in mouth of baleen whale
Ukrainian кито́вий вус
- кито́вий вус (kytóvyj vus)plates in mouth of baleen whale
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with baleen
Anagrams
Cite this entry
baleen. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/baleen
“baleen.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/baleen. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “baleen,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/baleen.
Source: baleen on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.