WHALEBONE

whalebone, baleen

(noun) a horny material from the upper jaws of certain whales; used as the ribs of fans or as stays in corsets

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

whalebone (countable and uncountable, plural whalebones)

The horny material from the fringed plates of the upper jaw of baleen whales that are used to filter plankton; once used as stays in corsets

Synonyms

• baleen

Source: Wiktionary

Whale"bone`, n.

Definition: A firm, elastic substance resembling horn, taken from the upper jaw of the right whale; baleen. It is used as a stiffening in stays, fans, screens, and for various other purposes. See Baleen.

Note: Whalebone is chiefly obtained from the bowhead, or Greenland, whale, the Biscay whale, and the Antarctic, or southern, whale. It is prepared for manufacture by being softened by boiling, and dyed black.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition