whalebone

noun

whale·bone | \ ˈ(h)wāl-ˌbōn

How to pronounce whalebone (audio)

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Definition of whalebone

1 : baleen

2 : an article made of whalebone

Examples of whalebone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Traditionally fashioned with metal or whalebone stays and laced up the back, the waist-cinching, bust-elevating garment has cycled in and out of style for centuries. — Katharine K. Zarrella, WSJ, "Corsets Are Back, Thanks to ‘Bridgerton’ and Party Fever," 3 Apr. 2021 That particular task was messy; the harvesting of whale parts — oil to light lamps and use in cosmetics, baleen for whalebone corsets, tongue for food — was hard labor. — New York Times, "Everyone’s Singing Sea Shanties (or Are They Whaling Songs?)," 13 Jan. 2021 Mark Tetpon makes original hoop masks that tell Iñupiaq stories in ivory, wood, fossilized whalebone and baleen. — Danielle Duclos, Anchorage Daily News, "Rasmuson Foundation announces 2020 award winners, gives top honor to Tlingit carver Wayne Price," 2 July 2020 That giant whalebone is the first major find this fall at a Bay Area beach. — Tom Stienstra, SFChronicle.com, "Whale skull washes up in Marin: What’s coming next?," 27 Oct. 2019 Later, visit the Itsanitaq Museum for a look at indigenous Arctic culture through the ages, marveling at hundreds of Inuit artifacts—from whalebone carvings and ancient harpoon heads to narwhal tusks. — National Geographic, "Canadian Arctic Middle School Expedition," 20 Sep. 2019 Must be able to play an accursed whalebone lyre while consuming five sticks of unsalted butter. — Keaton Patti, The New Yorker, "Commercial Casting Breakdowns," 16 Aug. 2019 This style was hugely popular during the Belle Époque, when the pouf ballooned to huge proportions, sometimes supported with strips of whalebone. — Nancy Schoeffler, courant.com, "What fashion designers have up their sleeves for fall," 15 July 2019 The corset of the 1880s was an armpit-to-hip garment stiffened with whalebone stays, which helped the hips support heavy skirts that hung from the waist. — Aaron Gilbreath, Longreads, "The Wheel, the Woman, and the Human Body," 6 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'whalebone.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near whalebone

whalebone whale

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Last Updated

14 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Whalebone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whalebone. Accessed 16 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for whalebone

whalebone

noun

English Language Learners Definition of whalebone

: a hard substance that is found in the jaw of some types of whales

See the full definition for whalebone in the English Language Learners Dictionary

whalebone

noun

whale·bone | \ ˈhwāl-ˌbōn

, ˈwāl- \

Kids Definition of whalebone

: baleen

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