TERMIUM Plus®

From: Translation Bureau

On social media

Consult the Government of Canada’s terminology data bank.

WHALEBONE [7 records]

Record 1 2023-03-31

English

Subject field(s)
  • Hosiery and Apparel Industry (Textiles)
DEF

[A thin strip] of cartilage from the mouths of baleen whales that [was] used for stiffening stays, bodice, calash bonnets and petticoat hoops.

CONT

... whalebone was an important fashion tool—however, it wasn’t made out of bone, but whale baleen. Dried baleen was flexible yet strong, and used to create structure in clothing, such as tight corsets, used by high-fashion women to present a curvy waistline...

French

Domaine(s)
  • Habillement et bonneterie (Textiles)
DEF

Lame de corne flexible que l'on fabriquait à partir de fanons de baleine et qui entrait notamment dans la confection des corsets.

Spanish

Save record 1

Record 2 2020-05-01

English

Subject field(s)
  • Mammals
Universal entry(ies)
OBS

A whalebone whale("Balaenoptera musculus") with a gray or blue-gray back and yellowish or grayish belly : the largest animal that ever lived, reaching a length of over 100 feet.

OBS

A mammal of the family Balaenopteridae.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Mammifères
Entrée(s) universelle(s)
OBS

Mammifère de la famille des Balaenopteridae.

Spanish

Save record 2

Record 3 2015-02-19

English

Subject field(s)
  • Women's Clothing
  • Period Costumes (Museums and Heritage)
DEF

A leg-of-mutton sleeve.

DEF

Leg-of-mutton: having a full upper arm and a fitted lower arm and wrist -- used of the sleeve of a woman’s garment.

OBS

Popular in the second quarter of the nineteenth century, and still used somewhat at present, this sleeve is full at the shoulder, gradually decreases in size to the elbow, and is tight at the wristline. Lining, a pad, or a whalebone support kept the upper sleeve at a distended size.

OBS

"Tapered sleeve", found on a poorly documented record, is not shown as a synonym because it could not be confirmed in a reliable source.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Vêtements pour dames
  • Costumes anciens (Muséologie et Patrimoine)
DEF

Manche de corsage, très ample et gonflée, dans la partie supérieure, par des plis ou des fronces.

OBS

Des manches à gigots.

Spanish

Save record 3

Record 4 1999-05-05

English

Subject field(s)
  • Period Costumes (Museums and Heritage)
  • Women's Clothing
DEF

An under-petticoat variously distended with cane, wire or whalebone hoops.

CONT

The hoop petticoat ... was bell-shaped and consisted of three or more hoops of wood, metal or cane, suspended on tapes from the waist.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Costumes anciens (Muséologie et Patrimoine)
  • Vêtements pour dames
DEF

Espèce de jupon fait de toile, cousue sur des cerceaux de baleine, placés au-dessus les uns des autres, de manière que celui d'en bas est le plus étendu et que les autres vont en diminuant à mesure qu'ils s'approchent du milieu du corps.

OBS

XVIIIe siècle.

Spanish

Save record 4

Record 5 1993-10-18

English

Subject field(s)
  • Underwear
CONT

About 1545 appeared the farthingale... a petticoat reinforced by a series of graduated hoops of cane, whalebone, or wire. Its shape was that of a cone. The material... was woollen, silk, satin, or velvet, usually of a brilliant colour. Fifty yards of whalebone might be used, in addition to buckram.(The History of Underclothes, 1951, p. 50).

CONT

farthingale worn, with rigid lowcut bodice, small ruffles, starched, fanlike collars with fancy edges. (This is Fashion, 1943, p. 130).

French

Domaine(s)
  • Lingerie
CONT

Mode espagnole de la fin du XVe s. introduite en France au XVIe s. Jupon de grosse toile tendue sur de gros fils de fer qui soutenait les jupes. (vertugadin en entonnoir) Au buste triangulaire long, [...] on ajoute en un temps le vertugadin, ustensile d'osier puis de cercles de fer, qui remplaça sous Henri III, un bourrelet matelassé, et qui devint aussi envahissant qu'une roue de carrosse. (Le costume, pourquoi et comment, 1967, p. 35).

Spanish

Save record 5

Record 6 1979-04-23

English

Subject field(s)
  • Sculpture
DEF

Any of various carved or engraved useful or decorative articles(as canes, cribbage boards, corset stays, snuff boxes, or small pieces of statuary) sometimes coloured by brushing ink into the engraved lines and made especially by American whalemen esp. from whalebone or whale ivory.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Sculpture
OBS

Renseignement confirmé par Mme Choquette-Devaux, Section des Musées.

Spanish

Save record 6

Record 7 1975-03-11

English

Subject field(s)
  • Winemaking
OBS

E. he may--(...) The wine is handed to him by an expert. It is taken from the cask in a venencia, a narrow silver container attached to the end of a(...) whalebone handle.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Industrie vinicole
OBS

E.taste-vin: petit verre (...) qui sert à -- ou le moût, afin d'en vérifier la densité, la limpidité et la saveur.

Spanish

Save record 7

Copyright notice for the TERMIUM Plus® data bank

© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2026
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
A product of the Translation Bureau

Features

GCtranslate (available on the Government of Canada network only)

Use this artificial intelligence prototype to translate Government of Canada content up to and including Protected B. Available to employees of selected departments and agencies only.

Writing tools

The Language Portal’s writing tools have a new look! Easy to consult, they give you access to a wealth of information that will help you write better in English and French.

Glossaries and vocabularies

Access Translation Bureau glossaries and vocabularies.

Date Modified: