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odontocete

American  
[oh-don-tuh-seet] / oʊˈdɒn təˌsit /

noun

Zoology.

  1. any whale of the suborder Odontoceti, as dolphins, killer whales, and sperm whales, characterized by an asymmetrical skull, a single blowhole, and rows of teeth, feeding primarily on fish, squid, and crustaceans.

Etymology

Origin of odontocete

1880–85; < New Latin Odontoceti, equivalent to odonto- odonto- + ceti, plural of cetus whale, Latin cētus < Greek kêtos

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Phoc�′na, a genus of delphinoid odontocete cetaceans—the true porpoises.—adjs.

From Project Gutenberg

Monodon, mon′ō-don, n. a genus of delphinoid odontocete cetaceans, containing only the narwhal.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.