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natatorial

or na·ta·to·ry

[ney-tuh-tawr-ee-uh l, -tohr-, nat-uh- or ney-tuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-, nat-uh-]
See more synonyms for natatorial on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. pertaining to, adapted for, or characterized by swimming: natatorial birds.
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Origin of natatorial

First recorded in 1810–20; natat(ion) + -orial
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for natatorial

Historical Examples

  • I well remember how proud I felt on the occasion when I first accomplished this natatorial feat.

    The Boy Tar

    Mayne Reid

  • The natatorial type of the Quadrumana, however, is most assuredly wanting.

  • Like all birds which belong to the natatorial type, the majority of the species live in the vicinity of water.

  • He was a master of the natatorial art, but he was not amphibious, and soon would have to come to the surface or die.

    Footprints in the Forest

    Edward Sylvester Ellis

  • After watching Potowski's natatorial gestures, Fairfax had longed to swim out of the elegance into a freer sea.

    Fairfax and His Pride

    Marie Van Vorst

Word Origin and History for natatorial

adj.

1816, from natatory (adj.), from Latin natatorius, from natator "swimmer" (see natatorium) + -al.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper