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
Every winter, around 800 manatees seek refuge in the warm waters of Crystal River’s Kings Bay and its 70 natural springs.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2026
The aquarium in 2021 announced plans — during a year of record manatee deaths in the state — for its Manatee Rehabilitation Center.
—Colbi Edmonds, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2026
From hitting the water on a paddleboard or kayak to zooming around on WaveRunners, taking boat tours, or simply watching for wildlife like manatees and dolphins, this is a coastal playground filled with opportunity.
—South Seas, Miami Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
Fall and winter offer a quieter experience with milder temperatures, fewer crowds, and the chance to see manatees gathering in the warmer outflow.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 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.
Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2026
The aquarium in 2021 announced plans — during a year of record manatee deaths in the state — for its Manatee Rehabilitation Center.
—Colbi Edmonds, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2026
From hitting the water on a paddleboard or kayak to zooming around on WaveRunners, taking boat tours, or simply watching for wildlife like manatees and dolphins, this is a coastal playground filled with opportunity.
—South Seas, Miami Herald, 31 Dec. 2025
Fall and winter offer a quieter experience with milder temperatures, fewer crowds, and the chance to see manatees gathering in the warmer outflow.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 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 10 Jan. 2026.
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