bottlenose dolphin

noun

bot·​tle·​nose dolphin ˈbä-tᵊl-ˌnōz- 

variants or less commonly bottle-nosed dolphin

ˈbä-tᵊl-ˌnōzd- 

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

The waters of the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean draw pods of playful bottlenose dolphins that love to swim alongside boats and leap out of the water in graceful arcs. —AFAR Media, 17 Dec. 2024

Turks and Caicos is famous for dolphin sightings, with father and son bottlenose dolphins JoJo and Dreamer enjoying somewhat of a celebrity status in the island archipelago. —Rana Good, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024

Granted, bottlenose dolphins have been known to often communicate with others several miles away. —New Atlas, 27 Nov. 2024

Although gregarious by nature, some bottlenose dolphins are quite adventurous, and can set off on their own to live in foreign waters. —Grrlscientist, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

bottlenose dolphin

noun

bot·​tle·​nose dolphin

ˌbät-ᵊl-ˌnōz-

: a medium-sized stout-bodied whale with teeth and a short snout