dolphin

noun

dol·​phin ˈdäl-fən 

ˈdȯl-

1

a

: any of various small marine toothed whales (family Delphinidae) with the snout more or less elongated into a beak and the neck vertebrae partially fused

Note: While not closely related, dolphins and porpoises share a physical resemblance that often leads to misidentification. Dolphins typically have cone-shaped teeth, curved dorsal fins, and elongated beaks with large mouths, while porpoises have flat, spade-shaped teeth, triangular dorsal fins, and shortened beaks with smaller mouths.

b

: any of several related chiefly freshwater toothed whales (as of the families Platanistidae and Iniidae) : river dolphin

2

: dolphinfish

3

capitalized : delphinus

4

: a spar or buoy for mooring boats

also : a cluster of closely driven piles used as a fender for a dock or as a mooring or guide for boats

Illustration of dolphin

• dolphin 1a

Examples of dolphin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Share [Findings] Veterinarians developed an ultrasound schedule for pregnant dolphins, and marine biologists discovered four new species of walking sharks and found that gray seals clap at each other to communicate underwater. —Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 8 Nov. 2023

The dolphins are talking (which, of course, Matt Groening already knew…). —Rachel Feltman, Popular Science, 8 Nov. 2023

Bats and dolphins are deservedly famous for their echolocation, but the elephantnose fish has a different superpower sense—electrolocation. —Elizabeth Anne Brown, Scientific American, 6 Nov. 2023

But where the album really gets wild is in experiments that purport to demonstrate dolphins mimicking human speech; their uncanny vocalizations are half cartoonish and half nightmarish. —Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2023

We have been bombarded by images of animal deaths this year, with whales washing up on East Coast beaches this summer, and reports that earlier this month more than one hundred dolphins died in the Brazilian Amazon, probably because of warming water and drought. —Liza Featherstone, The New Republic, 18 Oct. 2023

One is a guy who can make his hand vibrate incredibly fast, and the other is a girl with a dolphin blowhole on her back. —Jordan Moreau, Variety, 13 Oct. 2023

There were highways of fish swimming up and down the reefs, sharks everywhere and dolphins. —Catrin Einhorn Thea Traff, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2023

The veterans group is open to submarine crew who have qualified to wear the warfare specialty pin, the dolphins (silver or gold). —Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Oct. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Middle English delphyn, dolphyn, from Anglo-French delphin, alteration of Old French dalfin, from Medieval Latin dalfinus, alteration of Latin delphinus, from Greek delphin-, delphis; akin to Greek delphys womb, Sanskrit garbha

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing dolphin

• bottle-nosed dolphin
• Risso's dolphin
• spinner dolphin
• river dolphin
• bottlenose dolphin
• dolphin striker

• bottle-nosed dolphin
• Risso's dolphin
• spinner dolphin
• river dolphin
• bottlenose dolphin
• dolphin striker

Kids Definition

dolphin

noun

dol·​phin ˈdäl-fən 

ˈdȯl-

1

a

: any of various small whales with teeth and a long nose

b

: porpoise sense 1

2

: either of two active saltwater food fishes noted for their brilliant coloring