What does "dolphin" mean?
A carnivorous aquatic mammal in one of several families of the infraorder Cetacea, famed for its intelligence and occasional willingness to approach humans.
Dolphin
/ˈdɒlf.ɪn/ name, noun, slang
name, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A carnivorous aquatic mammal in one of several families of the infraorder Cetacea, famed for its intelligence and occasional willingness to approach humans.
- Grammar: dolphin is listed as name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: alevin, benthon, benthos, cetacean.
- Useful contrasts: porpoises.
- Usage evidence: The dolphin is a very intelligent animal.
How to use "dolphin"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "dolphin" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "dolphin" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "dolphin" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "dolphin" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "dolphin" is acting as name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "alevin" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "dolphin", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A carnivorous aquatic mammal in one of several families of the infraorder Cetacea, famed for its intelligence and occasional willingness to approach humans.
- 2 A man-made semi submerged maritime structure, usually installed to provide a fixed structure for temporary mooring, to prevent ships from drifting to shallow water or to serve as base for navigational aids.
- 3 A member of an athletic team called the Dolphins, such as the Miami Dolphins and teams of various institutions of learning.
- 4 any of various small toothed whales with a beaklike snout; larger than porpoises wordnet
- 5 A carnivorous aquatic mammal in one of several families of the infraorder Cetacea, famed for its intelligence and occasional willingness to approach humans.; Tursiops truncatus, (Atlantic bottlenose dolphin) the most well-known species.
Show 11 more definitions
- 6 large slender food and game fish widely distributed in warm seas (especially around Hawaii) wordnet
- 7 A fish, the mahi-mahi or dorado, Coryphaena hippurus, with a dorsal fin that runs the length of the body, also known for iridescent coloration.
- 8 A depiction of a fish, with a broad indented fin, usually embowed.
- 9 The dauphin, eldest son of the kings of France.
- 10 A mass of iron or lead hung from the yardarm, in readiness to be dropped through the deck and the hull of an enemy's vessel to sink it.
- 11 A kind of wreath or strap of plaited cordage.
- 12 A spar or buoy held by an anchor and furnished with a ring to which ships may fasten their cables.
- 13 A mooring post on a wharf or beach.
- 14 A permanent fender designed to protect a heavy boat, bridge, or coastal structure from the impact of large floating objects such as ice, floating logs, or vessels.
"At each end of the piers in the water, in cases where several rows of pile are driven, a sort of cutwater should be formed, in order to ward off heavy bodies, such as floating trees, ice, etc. and prevent them from injuring the superstructure (called in German constructions, "Eisbrecher," or ice-breaker). This is usually done by driving one pile by itself in advance of the rest, or by forming what is called a "dolphin" at each end of the pier."
- 15 One of the handles above the trunnions by which a gun was lifted. obsolete
- 16 A person who buys shares on the primary market only to resell them immediately at a high profit. US, slang
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname. countable, uncountable
- 2 A township in Knox County, Nebraska, United States. countable, uncountable
- 3 An unincorporated community in Brunswick County, Virginia, United States. countable, uncountable
- 4 An unincorporated community in San Juan County, Washington, United States. countable, uncountable
- 5 A hamlet in Brynford community, Flintshire, Wales (OS grid ref SJ1973). countable, uncountable
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Synonym of Delphinus (constellation). countable, uncountable
Antonyms
Example
"The dolphin is a very intelligent animal."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "dolphin"?
Common synonyms include: alevin, benthon, benthos, cetacean, cetacean, chiroptera.
How do you use "dolphin" in a sentence?
The dolphin is a very intelligent animal.
How do you pronounce "dolphin"?
Pronounced /ˈdɒlf.ɪn/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English delphyn, from Latin delphīnus, from Ancient Greek δελφίς (delphís), from δελφύς (delphús, “womb”); the modern form in -ol- is probably influenced by the pronunciation of Middle French dauphin. Compare Swedish delfin. Doublet of dauphin. Displaced native Old English mereswīn (literally “sea pig”).
Etymology 2
Ultimately from 3rd Duke of Alba (duc-d'Albe in French), who was the first to build this type of structure in the Spanish Netherlands in the 16th century. Possibly from Dutch dukdalf, or the plural dukdalven, through elision of the initial duk-.
Etymology 3
From Middle English Dolfin, from Old Norse Dólgfinnr (given name), from dólgr (“enemy”) + Finnr (“Sami”).