whalebone whale
- noun
- /ˈweɪlˌboʊn weɪl/
- Archaic
:
ballena de barbas
- Many whalebone whales migrate thousands of miles each year.
Examples
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The whalebone whale feeds by filtering tiny crustaceans from the sea through its baleen plates.
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Scientists study the migration patterns of several whalebone whale species each year.
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Unlike toothed whales, a whalebone whale lacks teeth and relies on baleen for feeding.
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The whalebone whale is known for its unique feeding method.
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The grey whale is a well-known whalebone whale that filters tiny shrimp from the water using its baleen plates.
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Scientists study the feeding habits of the whalebone whale, which help maintain the balance of marine ecosystems.
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During our trip, we saw a whalebone whale swimming gracefully near the surface, its baleen visible as it strained water for food.
Synonyms
1
5.6
A large whale with plates in its mouth that filter tiny sea animals
1
9.9
A very large whale with comb-like plates in its mouth that filter small animals from sea water
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and transparently built from 'whalebone' + 'whale' — it denotes a whale characterized by whalebone (baleen) plates used for filtering. This noun–noun compound follows a common compositional pattern found cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the meaning.
Etymology
Whalebone whale gets its name from the whale's flat, comb-like plates called whalebone, often called 'baleen', inside its mouth. These plates act like a comb to catch tiny sea animals when the whale pushes water out, so the name means a whale that 'filters' its food.