dolphin

noun

dol·phin | \ ˈdäl-fən

, ˈdȯl-\

Definition of dolphin

1a : any of various small marine toothed whales (family Delphinidae) with the snout more or less elongated into a beak and the neck vertebrae partially fused

Note: While not closely related, dolphins and porpoises share a physical resemblance that often leads to misidentification. Dolphins typically have cone-shaped teeth, curved dorsal fins, and elongated beaks with large mouths, while porpoises have flat, spade-shaped teeth, triangular dorsal fins, and shortened beaks with smaller mouths.

b : any of several related chiefly freshwater toothed whales (as of the families Platanistidae and Iniidae) : river dolphin

2 : dolphinfish

3 capitalized : delphinus

4 : a spar or buoy for mooring boats also : a cluster of closely driven piles used as a fender for a dock or as a mooring or guide for boats

Examples of dolphin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In May, a group of humpbacks was spotted off the coast of Ireland interacting and playing with a pod of dolphins. — Fox News, "Rare white whale spotted off Australian coast," 21 June 2019 Federal scientists are trying to determine why an extraordinary number of dolphins have turned up dead along the Gulf Coast. — Dennis Romero, NBC News, "Dolphins along the Gulf Coast are dying at triple the normal rate, scientists say," 16 June 2019 Fishermen off Cape Cod who witnessed the rare occurrence of an orca whale swimming with a pod of dolphins, could hardly believe their eyes. — Wesli Jones, CNN, "Must-watch videos of the week," 14 June 2019 Apart from the turtles, wild schools of dolphins can frequently be spotted off the shoreline. — Abby Sewell, National Geographic, "Discover the best beaches in the Middle East," 29 May 2019 Even better, the Russian military learned the technology from dolphins, which are naturally psychic. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Journal Claims Russian Troops Have Psychic Powers," 4 Apr. 2019 This preservation association rescues and rehabilitates sea turtles, pink dolphins, and the like. — Laird Borrelli-persson, Vogue, "An Insider’s Guide to Atins, a Hidden Paradise on the Northeast Coast of Brazil," 18 Jan. 2019 Indeed, there is evidence that many cetaceans—that is, whales, dolphins and porpoises—have strong and complicated family and social ties. — Alison Gopnik, WSJ, "Like Us, Whales May Be Smart Because They’re Social," 16 Aug. 2018 Researchers believe this particular red tide occurrence — which has been building since last fall — is responsible for the deaths of at least 12 dolphins, more than 150 sea turtles, and a 26-foot whale shark, NPR reported. — Jewel Wicker, Teen Vogue, "Florida’s Red Tide is Killing Hundreds of Sea Animals," 16 Aug. 2018

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