bottlenose dolphin
noun
bot·tle·nose dolphin
ˈbä-tᵊl-ˌnōz- 
variants
or less commonly bottle-nosed dolphin
or bottlenose
: a relatively small chiefly gray toothed whale (Tursiops truncatus) of temperate to tropical waters that has a prominent beak and falcate dorsal fin, reaches a length of 6 to 12 feet (1.8 to 3.6 meters), and is typically found in groups
also
: a related whale (T. aduncus) of waters of the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean
Examples of bottlenose dolphin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Some other bottlenose dolphins use their tails to slap the ground in a circle, creating mud-ring plumes that trap fish.
—
Marlowe Starling, CNN Money, 23 June 2025
Two bottlenose dolphins living at SeaWorld Orlando died in 2015, and a baby beluga born into captivity at the same park died of unknown causes just moments after it was born in 2017.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 20 June 2025
Some species, like the common bottlenose dolphin, are widespread and globally distributed.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
Jett, a 14-year-old bottlenose dolphin, died from acute head trauma during the first weekend of March, as reported by the Panama City News Herald, part of the USA TODAY Network.
—Dylan Gentile, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bottlenose dolphin
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Marlowe Starling, CNN Money, 23 June 2025
Two bottlenose dolphins living at SeaWorld Orlando died in 2015, and a baby beluga born into captivity at the same park died of unknown causes just moments after it was born in 2017.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 20 June 2025
Some species, like the common bottlenose dolphin, are widespread and globally distributed.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
Jett, a 14-year-old bottlenose dolphin, died from acute head trauma during the first weekend of March, as reported by the Panama City News Herald, part of the USA TODAY Network.
—Dylan Gentile, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bottlenose dolphin
Cite this Entry
“Bottlenose dolphin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bottlenose%20dolphin. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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