cetacean
noun
ce·ta·cean
| \ si-ËtÄ-shÉn
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Definition of cetacean
: any of an order (Cetacea) of aquatic mostly marine mammals that includes the whales, dolphins, porpoises, and related forms and that have a torpedo-shaped nearly hairless body, paddle-shaped forelimbs but no hind limbs, one or two nares opening externally at the top of the head, and a horizontally flattened tail used for locomotion
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Other Words from cetacean
cetacean
adjective
cetaceous
\ si-ËtÄ-shÉs
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adjective
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adjective
Examples of cetacean in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But the worldâs most elusive cetacean, the beaked whale, has been documented making similar marks elsewhere, for reasons unknown. — Todd Woody, National Geographic, "Do we know enough about the deep sea to mine it?," 24 July 2019 Previous research has shown that elephants and a variety of other animalsâdogs, primates, cetaceans, birdsâare able to make quantity judgements using visual cues. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "Elephants Use Smell to Sniff Out Snack Quantities," 5 June 2019 In Canada, only two facilities keep cetaceans: Marineland, in Ontario, which has more than 50 beluga whales, according to CTV News, and the Vancouver Aquarium, which has one dolphin. — Anchorage Daily News, "With âFree Willyâ bill, Canada bans captivity and breeding of whales and dolphins," 11 June 2019 If those changes are indeed enacted, which would require amending federal law, cetaceans could only be legally caught for scientific purposes. — Natasha Daly, National Geographic, "Animals trapped in notorious Russia âwhale jailâ begin path to freedom," 20 June 2019 The two 12-year-old females are among the marine mammals that have been selected to inhabit a sanctuary in Iceland for formerly captive cetaceans. — Fox News, "Whales from Chinese sea park starting retirement in Iceland," 20 June 2019 The all white belugas are a cold-water species native to the arctic and sub-arctic north whose closest relative among cetaceans is the narwhal. — Steve Johnson, chicagotribune.com, "Shedd Aquarium beluga gives birth to healthy calf," 4 July 2019 Although 20 orcas and many other cetaceans continue to live and perform at its facilities, the company increasingly focuses its marketing on its amusement park rides. — Natasha Daly, National Geographic, "Orcas donât do well in captivity. Hereâs why.," 25 Mar. 2019 Experts believe the ailing cetacean came into the Bay in late May searching for food and respite from the harsher conditions of the Pacific Ocean. — Ashley Mcbride, SFChronicle.com, "Humpback whale takes flight in front of SF skyline in amazing photo," 17 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cetacean.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for cetacean
cetacean
noun
English Language Learners Definition of cetacean
technical
: a mammal (such as a whale, dolphin, or porpoise) that lives in the ocean
See the full definition for cetacean in the English Language Learners Dictionary