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baleen whale

[ buh-leen hweyl, weyl ]

noun

  1. any whale of the suborder Mysticeti, having plates of baleen on the sides of the upper jaw for filtering plankton from the water.

baleen whale

noun

  1. See whalebone whale
    another name for whalebone whale

baleen whale

  1. Any of several usually large whales of the suborder Mysticeti, having a symmetrical skull with two blowholes and plates of baleen instead of teeth. Baleen whales include the humpback, blue, fin, minke, and right whales, and the rorquals.
  2. Compare toothed whale

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Word History and Origins

Origin of baleen whale1

First recorded in 1870–75

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Example Sentences

Fin whales are one of the most common baleen whale species in the world and constitute a major portion of the whaling catch.

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