Illustration of dolphin
- dolphin 1a
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
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
Examples of dolphin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Video footage captured by Capt. Evan Brodsky of Monterey Bay Whale Watch on Friday shows the Risso's dolphins, also called gray dolphins, breaching and gliding in Carmel Bay, just off the central coast of California.
—
Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2025
The sighting was rare: Risso’s dolphins typically travel in groups of only 10 to 30 animals, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
—Nbc Bay Area Staff, NBC News, 29 Jan. 2025
Risso’s dolphins, which can weigh as much as 1,100 pounds and reach as long as 13 feet, typically travel in groups of 10 to 30 animals, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
—Stephen Sorace, Fox News, 29 Jan. 2025
In 2023, rare pink dolphins were spotted swimming off the coast of Louisiana.
—CBS News, 29 Jan. 2025
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Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2025
The sighting was rare: Risso’s dolphins typically travel in groups of only 10 to 30 animals, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
—Nbc Bay Area Staff, NBC News, 29 Jan. 2025
Risso’s dolphins, which can weigh as much as 1,100 pounds and reach as long as 13 feet, typically travel in groups of 10 to 30 animals, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
—Stephen Sorace, Fox News, 29 Jan. 2025
In 2023, rare pink dolphins were spotted swimming off the coast of Louisiana.
—CBS News, 29 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for dolphin
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Cite this Entry
“Dolphin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dolphin. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dolphin
noun
dol·phin
ˈdäl-fən 
ˈdȯl-
1
a
: any of various small whales with teeth and a long nose
b
2
: either of two active saltwater food fishes noted for their brilliant coloring
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