manatee

American  

[man-uh-tee, man-uh-tee] / ˈmæn əˌti, ˌmæn əˈti /

noun

1. 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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manatee British  

/ ˈmænəˌtiː, ˌmænəˈtiː /

noun

1. 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

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Other Word Forms

• manatoid adjective

Etymology

Origin of manatee

1545–55; < Spanish manatí < Carib, but associated with Latin manātus provided with hands

Compare meaning

How does manatee compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• dugong vs. manatee
• sea cow vs. manatee

Example Sentences

The manatee raised its fat snout out of the water to breathe and sniff at her, and Natalie felt a sudden kinship with it.

From Literature

The ancient animals still had hind limb bones, which living dugongs and manatees lost during their evolution.

From Science Daily

After decades of investment by local communities and the state, the manatee population rose from about 1,200 in the 1970s to more than 9,000 today.

From The Wall Street Journal

Protecting the aquifers that sustain these springs is essential, not only for iconic wildlife like manatees, but also for supplying drinking water to nearly half of Florida's population.

From BBC

A local nonprofit in the state of Tamaulipas issued a report documenting animal deaths in a region known as a nesting ground for manatees, sharks, whales and other animals.

From Los Angeles Times