porpoise
noun
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Definition of porpoise
(Entry 1 of 2)
Note: While not closely related, porpoises and dolphins share a physical resemblance that often leads to misidentification. Porpoises typically have flat, spade-shaped teeth, triangular dorsal fins, and shortened beaks with relatively small mouths while dolphins have cone-shaped teeth, curved dorsal fins, and elongated beaks with larger mouths.
porpoise
verbDefinition of porpoise (Entry 2 of 2)
Examples of porpoise in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
During a four-hour span, the sightings were mind-blowing: 55 humpback whales, 25 harbor porpoise, four killer whales (orcas), four fin whales, along with masses of sea lions too numerous to count. — Tom Stienstra, SFChronicle.com, "Humpbacks, killer whales, fin whales star in coastal spectacle," 28 Aug. 2019 Around 3,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises are held in tanks globally, according to wildlife charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation. — Washington Post, "Whales from Chinese aquarium starting retirement in Iceland," 19 June 2019 Researchers in Alaska have studied the harbor porpoise, elusive in those waters. — Rodrigo Pérez Ortega, The Mercury News, "Monterey Bay: Following the DNA trail in the Pacific Ocean," 11 Aug. 2019 When Zigun moved to Coney Island in the 1970s, many of its crumbling buildings were topped with nautical stone figures, including mermaids, porpoises and Neptune clasping his trident. — Scottie Andrew And Nadeem Muaddi, CNN, "Mermaids are taking over New York this weekend. Here's why," 22 June 2019 Kenai is also a wildlife-lover’s paradise, home to orcas and humpbacks, puffins, porpoises, and much more. — National Geographic, "Alaska Family Journey: Wilderness Explorer," 17 June 2019 The international prize honored his campaigns to save Mexico’s near-extinct vaquita porpoises and to promote the sale of Mexican shrimp caught without the (now-banned) gill nets that were entangling vaquita. — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Carlsbad, Baja chefs aim to heal border rift over the dinner table," 12 July 2019 The magic vessel could be a yacht or a galley, a porpoise or a mermaid. — Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, "In Mark Haddon’s “The Porpoise,” Storytelling Is an Instrument of Violence and Solace," 13 June 2019 The bill bans importing, exporting, keeping and breeding whales, dolphins and porpoises, as well as making the animals perform for entertainment. — Helen Murphy, PEOPLE.com, "Canada Passes Ban Making It Illegal to Keep Dolphins and Whales in Captivity," 11 June 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Calvin stepped up to the glass, watching Fiona porpoise around Hippo Cove with her mother, Bibi. — Mallorie Sullivan, Cincinnati.com, "Like Fiona, he was born prematurely. Their meeting will melt your heart.," 20 Feb. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'porpoise.' 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 porpoise
porpoise
noun
English Language Learners Definition of porpoise
See the full definition for porpoise in the English Language Learners Dictionary
porpoise
noun
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Kids Definition of porpoise
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