bottlenose dolphin

noun

bot·​tle·​nose dolphin ˈbä-tᵊl-ˌnōz- How to pronounce bottlenose dolphin (audio)
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
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Onlookers also got to see five gray whales, 300 other northern right whale dolphins, 20 Risso’s dolphins, five humpback whales and two bottlenose dolphins the same day, the group said on Facebook. Paloma Chavez, Sacramento Bee, 3 Mar. 2025 On the other side of the barrier island, maze-like salt marshes and winding tidal creeks funnel into the Intracoastal Waterway, providing the ideal environment to see bottlenose dolphins, loggerhead sea turtles, and abundant shorebirds. Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2025 This year, two bottlenose dolphins, two harbor seals and a pair of red foxes have made the list. Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2025 What To Know This recent discovery adds rats to more than 50 North American mammal species infected with H5N1, including skunks, domestic cats, bottlenose dolphins, harbor seals, foxes, mountain lions, and coyotes. Mark Joseph, Newsweek, 22 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bottlenose dolphin

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bottlenose dolphin was in 1826

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Cite this Entry

“Bottlenose dolphin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bottlenose%20dolphin. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

bottlenose dolphin

noun
bot·​tle·​nose dolphin
ˌbät-ᵊl-ˌnōz-
: a medium-sized stout-bodied whale with teeth and a short snout

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