whalebone whale

noun

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

Also called baleen whale.

Compare toothed whale.

Origin

1715-25

British Dictionary definitions for whalebone whale

whalebone whale

noun

any whale belonging to the cetacean suborder Mysticeti, having a double blowhole and strips of whalebone between the jaws instead of teeth: includes the rorquals, right whales, and the blue whale Compare toothed whale