Illustration of manatee
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
Felicity Barringer
Examples of manatee in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In time for mid-summer afternoons spent cooling off in the 72-degree water, Blue Spring State Park in Orange City has reopened its popular magnitude-one spring run — best known for hosting hundreds of wintering manatees — to swimmers, snorkelers, and tubers.
—Joe Burbank, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 July 2025
Wildlife, from endangered loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles to manatees is abundant.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 24 July 2025
In the lobby, towering trees grandly sprout from water features and luxe coastal vibes abound, and the guest rooms showcase Clearwater’s prime assets like the beach and clear waters, where dolphins and manatees make regular appearances.
—Miami Herald, 16 July 2025
The Everglades is home to a number of threatened or endangered species including the Florida panther, American flamingos, manatees and American crocodiles.
—James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for manatee
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Joe Burbank, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 July 2025
Wildlife, from endangered loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles to manatees is abundant.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 24 July 2025
In the lobby, towering trees grandly sprout from water features and luxe coastal vibes abound, and the guest rooms showcase Clearwater’s prime assets like the beach and clear waters, where dolphins and manatees make regular appearances.
—Miami Herald, 16 July 2025
The Everglades is home to a number of threatened or endangered species including the Florida panther, American flamingos, manatees and American crocodiles.
—James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for manatee
Cite this Entry
“Manatee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manatee. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share