baleen

Everyday

1. Baleen is a strong, bendy material growing in long plates from the top jaw of some whales, used like a giant sieve or comb to filter food from sea water. tree →
2. A baleen whale is a whale that has baleen instead of teeth, like the blue whale and the humpback. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons, baleen whales take in a huge mouthful of water and push it out through the baleen, trapping krill and small fish. Baleen is made of keratin, the same stuff as our fingernails and hair. In history, people hunted whales for baleen (called «whalebone») to make corsets and umbrella ribs. Phrases: «baleen whale», «baleen plates», «filter feeder».

Examples

• Blue whales are baleen whales. tree →
• Baleen is made of the same material as our fingernails. tree →
• The whale strained krill through its baleen. tree →
• We touched a strip of baleen at the museum; it felt like a stiff hairbrush. tree →
• Toothed whales, like dolphins, have no baleen. tree →
• In the past, baleen was used to make corsets. tree →
• A humpback has hundreds of baleen plates. tree →

Note

Uncountable as the material: «baleen», «a plate of baleen». Say ba-LEEN. Trap: old word «whalebone» meant baleen, though baleen is not bone.