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. 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of baleen whale¹

First recorded in 1870–75