dugong

noun

du·​gong ˈdü-ˌgäŋ 

-ˌgȯŋ

plural dugongs also dugong

: an aquatic, herbivorous, usually brownish-gray mammal (Dugong dugon) that inhabits warm coastal waters chiefly of southern Asia, Australia, and eastern Africa and resembles the related manatee but differs in having a notched tail divided into two lobes and upper incisors which grow into small tusks in the male

Note: The dugong commonly attains a length of 8 feet (2.4 meters) or more. It is the sole living species in its taxonomic family (Dugongidae) which also includes the extinct Steller's sea cow and various sirenians known only from fossilized remains.

Illustration of dugong

Examples of dugong in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Researchers using drones to survey the waters off the coast of Thailand spotted a large herd of 23 dugongs — a sign conservation efforts are paying off, wildlife officials said. —Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2025

About 30 mammals — including whales, dolphins, dugongs, seals, walruses, otters, and beavers — started on land, before venturing into water even part time. —Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 28 Apr. 2025

Seagrasses provide shelters, nurseries, and feeding grounds for thousands of species, including endangered animals such as dugongs, stalked jellyfish and smalltooth sawfish. —Ian Urbina, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2025

While manatees have a large, rounded and almost spoon-like tail, the tail of a dugong is fluked, looking more like the tail of a whale, according to the Marine Mammal Center. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 3 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, genus name, probably from dugung in Cebuano or a related Austronesian language of the central Philippines

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

dugong

noun

du·​gong ˈdü-ˌgäng 

-ˌgȯng

: a mammal that lives in water, eats plants, and is related to the manatees but has a two-lobed tail and tusks in the male