cetacean

[si-tey-shuhn]

adjective

1. belonging to the Cetacea, an order of aquatic, chiefly marine mammals, including the whales and dolphins.

noun

1. a cetacean mammal.

cetacean

/ sɪˈteɪʃən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the Cetacea, an order of aquatic placental mammals having no hind limbs and a blowhole for breathing: includes toothed whales (dolphins, porpoises, etc) and whalebone whales (rorquals, right whales, etc)

noun

1. a whale

cetacean

1. Any of various, often very large aquatic mammals of the order Cetacea, having a hairless body that resembles that of a fish. Cetaceans have an elongated skull, a flat, horizontal tail, forelimbs modified into broad flippers, and no hind limbs. They breathe through blowholes located usually at the top of the skull. Whales, dolphins, and porpoises are cetaceans.

2. See more at baleen whale toothed whale

Other Word Forms

• cetaceous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cetacean¹

1830–40; < New Latin Cetace ( a ) name of the order ( cet-, -acea ) + -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of cetacean¹

C19: from New Latin Cētācea, ultimately from Latin cētus whale, from Greek kētos

Example Sentences

Marineland in Ontario had hoped to offload the cetaceans on a theme park in Zhuhai, after suffering years of animal welfare concerns and financial woes.

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“These findings underscore an urgent need for coordinated action,” said Kathi George, the Sausalito-based Marine Mammal Center’s director of cetacean conservation in a statement.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The area off Lincolnshire's coast is "a unique habitat for fish where seabirds and cetaceans feed" explained Mr Slater.

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"I am convinced it pushed western society past the tipping point on the subject of captive cetaceans."

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And it would benefit us, too, to stop wantonly crushing cetaceans with our boats.

Read more on Salon