manatee

noun man·a·tee \ ˈma-nə-ˌtē \

Definition of manatee

: any of a genus (Trichechus of the family Trichechidae) of large, herbivorous, aquatic mammals that inhabit warm coastal and inland waters of the southeastern U.S., West Indies, northern South America, and West Africa and have a rounded body, a small head with a squarish snout, paddle-shaped flippers usually with vestigial nails, and a flattened, rounded tail used for propulsion

Note: Manatees are sirenians related to and resembling the dugong but differing most notably in the shape of the tail.

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Recent Examples of manatee from the Web

Smaller animals like baby manatees, otters, and birds have been relocated to more secure enclosures.

— stephanie petit, PEOPLE.com, "Disney World Remains Closed Following Hurricane Irma: How to Get Your Money Back If You Canceled Your Vacation," 11 Sep. 2017
This riverine labyrinth of dense mangroves and little islands is utterly still—a haven to a variety of species, including manatees, and a bulwark against the coastal erosion.

— william clowes, Slate Magazine, "Seeing the Forest for the Trees," 1 May 2017
Viruses are suspected of causing gastric papillomas in beluga whales as well as skin papillomas in Florida manatees and harbor porpoises.

— National Geographic, "These Sick Animals Could Be Key to Understanding Cancer," 6 July 2016
How Science Links Climate Change to Irma’s Wallop: QuickTake Q&A Home to the elusive Florida panther, crocodiles, manatees and the state’s iconic pink flamingos, the Everglades make up much of Florida’s southern tip and is a World Heritage Site.

— ari natter, Bloomberg.com, "Irma Stirs Fear of Setback to $16 Billion Everglades Restoration," 18 Sep. 2017
Or the manatees who were rescued after the storm sucked up water from a bay and left them stranded.

— doug criss, CNN, "As Irma raged, Floridians stopped to take care of creatures great and small," 11 Sep. 2017
Dugong are large sea mammals that live in the warm coastal waters; they are related to (and resemble) the manatee.

— swapna krishna, Smithsonian, "How 13th-Century “Mermaid Bones” Came to Be Displayed in a Japanese Temple," 16 Feb. 2017
At the Caloosa Cove Resort and Marina, concrete pilings meant to hold the dock in place had been knocked sideways, and three manatees lolled in the water, drinking from an outflow pump spitting water from the dockside.

— reuters, Fortune, "‘It’s Devastating.’ Returning Florida Evacuees Stunned by Extent of Damage from Hurricane Irma," 13 Sep. 2017
The community came together to get the manatees onto tapes and drag them back into the water.

— megan friedman, Country Living, "8 Incredible Ways Animals Were Rescued During Hurricane Irma," 11 Sep. 2017

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