dolphin
DOLF-ihn
Dolphin (noun) means a highly intelligent, social marine mammal with a beak-like snout, known for its playfulness. Example: “A pod of dolphins followed the boat for several miles.”
noun
1
A highly intelligent, social marine mammal with a beak-like snout, known for its playfulness.
"A pod of dolphins followed the boat for several miles."
"Dolphins use clicks and whistles to communicate with each other."
"The children cheered when a dolphin leapt out of the water beside the ferry."
2
A large, brightly coloured game fish also known as mahi-mahi or dorado (unrelated to the mammal).
"The restaurant served fresh dolphin, listed on the menu as mahi-mahi."
How to use dolphin
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUsually refers to the sea mammal famous for its intelligence, though it can also mean the mahi-mahi fish.
Common mistake
The fish called "dolphin" or "dolphinfish" is not related to the marine mammal — menus often use "mahi-mahi" to avoid confusion.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a pod of dolphins
bottlenose dolphin
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Word forms
- Plural
- dolphins
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
A pod of _____ followed the boat for several miles.
Etymology
From Greek delphís, related to a word for "womb" — from Middle English delphyn via Latin delphinus.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “dolphin” mean?
The word “dolphin” means a highly intelligent, social marine mammal with a beak-like snout, known for its playfulness. In plain terms, usually refers to the sea mammal famous for its intelligence, though it can also mean the mahi-mahi fish.
How do you pronounce “dolphin”?
“Dolphin” is pronounced DOLF-ihn (/ˈdɑlf.ɪn/ in IPA).
How do you use “dolphin” in a sentence?
Here is “dolphin” used in a sentence: “A pod of dolphins followed the boat for several miles.”
What part of speech is “dolphin”?
“Dolphin” is a noun.
Where does the word “dolphin” come from?
The word “dolphin” comes from Latin. From Greek delphís, related to a word for "womb" — from Middle English delphyn via Latin delphinus.
Is “dolphin” a common word?
“Dolphin” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “dolphin” have?
“Dolphin” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a highly intelligent, social marine mammal with a beak-like snout, known for its playfulness.
What is the difference between a dolphin and a porpoise?
Dolphins generally have a longer, beak-like snout and a curved dorsal fin, while porpoises have a blunter face and a more triangular dorsal fin. Both are marine mammals, but they belong to different families within the cetacean group.
Is a dolphin fish the same as a dolphin mammal?
No. The dolphin fish, also called mahi-mahi or dorado, is a brightly coloured game fish unrelated to the intelligent marine mammal commonly called a dolphin; they share a name but are entirely different animals.
Why is mahi-mahi sometimes called "dolphin" on menus?
Some restaurants avoid calling the fish "dolphin" on menus to prevent confusion with the marine mammal, using "mahi-mahi" instead even though "dolphin fish" is a traditional name for the same game fish.
