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Baleen: meaning, definitions and examples

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baleen

 

[ bษ™หˆliหn ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

whale anatomy

Baleen refers to the filter-feeding system found in some species of whales. Made of keratin, it consists of long, flat plates that hang from the upper jaws of the whale. Baleen whales, including blue and humpback whales, use this structure to sieve small prey like krill and plankton from the water. As they take in a large mouthful of water, they push it out through the baleen, trapping food particles inside. This unique adaptation allows these whales to thrive in their aquatic environments by efficiently harvesting abundant food resources.

Synonyms

filter, sieve

Examples of usage

  • The blue whale uses its baleen to consume thousands of pounds of krill daily.
  • Humpback whales are known for their complex feeding techniques involving baleen.
  • Baleen plates can grow up to 3 meters long in some whale species.

Translations

Translations of the word "baleen" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น barbatana

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคฌเคพเคฒเฅ€เคจ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Barten

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ sisir

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะฑะฐะปะตั”ะฝ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ filtrowanie

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใฒใ‚Œ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท fanons

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ barbilla

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท sรผzgeรง

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์ˆ˜์—ผ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุตูุงุฆุญ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ kartรกฤ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ baleen

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ้กป

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ brada

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ skegg

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ัาฏะทะณั–

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ‘แƒแƒšแƒ”แƒ”แƒœ

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ baleen

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ barbilla

Etymology

The word 'baleen' originates from the Middle English term 'balene', which itself comes from the Old French word 'balรจne'. The Old French term is derived from the Latin word 'balaena', meaning 'whale'. This etymology highlights the close relationship between the term and its biological function, as baleen is a characteristic feature of baleen whales. The concept of baleen dates back to prehistoric times when early forms of filter-feeding evolved in marine mammals. Its development has allowed baleen whales to adapt to a wide range of marine environments, contributing to their success and diversity in the world's oceans.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #31,677 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.