cetacean
noun
ce·ta·cean
si-ˈtā-shən 
: 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
cetacean
adjective
Examples of cetacean in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Humpback whales are large cetaceans that feed primarily on krill, fish and plankton.
—
Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025
Marineland park closed its doors to the public permanently on January 5, 2025, following a decline in attendance and a recent ban on shows featuring cetaceans.
—Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
It has been suggested that urine might indicate a readiness to mate in certain cetaceans, although evidence for this is scarce.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 3 Feb. 2025
Iceland’s Medieval Whale Hunters (Hakai Magazine) by Andrew Chapman
In the medieval era, most whale-hunting cultures focused on relatively small cetaceans living close to the shores.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 31 Dec. 2024
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Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025
Marineland park closed its doors to the public permanently on January 5, 2025, following a decline in attendance and a recent ban on shows featuring cetaceans.
—Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
It has been suggested that urine might indicate a readiness to mate in certain cetaceans, although evidence for this is scarce.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 3 Feb. 2025
Iceland’s Medieval Whale Hunters (Hakai Magazine) by Andrew Chapman
In the medieval era, most whale-hunting cultures focused on relatively small cetaceans living close to the shores.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 31 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cetacean
Cite this Entry
“Cetacean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cetacean. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cetacean
noun
ce·ta·cean
si-ˈtā-shən
: any of an order of aquatic mammals (as a whale, dolphin, or porpoise)
cetacean
adjective
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