manatee

noun

man·​a·​tee ˈma-nə-ˌtē 

: 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.

An aquatic relative of the elephant, manatees grow up to nine feet long and can weigh 1,000 pounds.

—Felicity Barringer

Illustration of manatee

Examples of manatee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Writers have been riffing on sentiments like that from about the time of the first manatee sighting. —Jake Cline, Washington Post, 8 July 2024

The wildlife commission will relocate a distressed or unhealthy manatee but this one, according to the WPLG report, seems to be OK. —Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 6 July 2024

And competition for food and space could displace otters, West Indian manatees, capybaras and turtles. —Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 June 2024

The county eviction suit cites multiple federal findings of problems with the Seaquarium’s care of a menagerie that includes dolphins, sea lions, exotic birds and manatees. —Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 26 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Spanish manatí, probably of Carib origin; akin to Antillean Carib manattoüi manatee

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

manatee

noun

man·​a·​tee ˈman-ə-ˌtē 

: any of several chiefly tropical water-dwelling mammals that eat plants and differ from the related dugong especially in having the tail broad and rounded