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manatee
[ man-uh-tee, man-uh-tee ]
/ ˈmæn əˌti, ˌmæn əˈti /
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noun
any of several plant-eating aquatic mammals of the genus Trichechus, of West Indian, Floridian, and Gulf Coast waters, having two flippers in front and a broad, spoon-shaped tail: all species are endangered.
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Origin of manatee
1545–55; <Spanish manatí<Carib, but associated with Latin manātus provided with hands
Words nearby manatee
Manassas, Manasseh, Manassite, Manat, man-at-arms, manatee, Manatí, manatu, Manaus, manavelins, manawa
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use manatee in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for manatee
manatee
/ (ˈmænəˌtiː, ˌmænəˈtiː) /
noun
any sirenian mammal of the genus Trichechus, occurring in tropical coastal waters of America, the Caribbean, and Africa: family Trichechidae. They resemble whales and have a prehensile upper lip and a broad flattened tail
Derived forms of manatee
manatoid, adjectiveWord Origin for manatee
C16: via Spanish from Carib Manattouī
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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