1. a flexible horny substance from the upper jaw of certain whales, formerly used to make corsets and other items
Usage: historical

Examples

• Victorian women’s corsets were often stiffened with whalebone.
• The whalebone industry declined with the development of synthetic materials.
• Whalebone was prized for its flexibility and strength.
• The museum displayed a whalebone corset from the 1800s.
• Baleen whales filter food through their whalebone plates.
• Old umbrella ribs were sometimes made from whalebone.