porpoise

American  

[pawr-puhs] / ˈpɔr pəs /

noun

plural

porpoise,

plural

porpoises

1. any of several small, gregarious cetacean mammals of the genus Phocoena, usually blackish above and paler beneath, and having a blunt, rounded snout, especially the common porpoise, P. phocoena, of both the North Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

2. any of several small cetacean mammals, as the common dolphin, Delphinus delphis.

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verb (used without object)

porpoised, porpoising

1. (of a speeding motorboat) to leap clear of the water after striking a wave.

2. (of a torpedo) to appear above the surface of the water.

3. to move forward with a rising and falling motion in the manner of a porpoise.

   The car has a tendency to porpoise when overloaded.

porpoise British  

/ ˈpɔːpəs /

noun

1. any of various small cetacean mammals of the genus Phocaena and related genera, having a blunt snout and many teeth: family Delphinidae (or Phocaenidae )

2. (not in technical use) any of various related cetaceans, esp the dolphin

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Other Word Forms

• porpoiselike adjective

Etymology

Origin of porpoise

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English porpoys, from Middle French porpois, from unattested Vulgar Latin porcopiscis “hog fish,” for Latin porcus marīnus “sea hog”

Explanation

Porpoises are ocean mammals that are very similar to dolphins. Most porpoises prefer cold Northern waters and stay close to the shore. Like their close relatives, dolphins and orcas, porpoises are toothed whales, descendants of hoofed land animals like the hippopotamus. It's not always easy to tell a porpoise from a dolphin, but they have shorter noses, smaller mouths, and differently shaped teeth. They're also not quite as chatty as dolphins, and don't make dolpins' distinctive whistling sound. They're just as intelligent, though.

Example Sentences

The goal now is to stop the Yangtze finless river porpoise - 1,200 of which remain in the wild, according to current estimates – from suffering the same fate.

From BBC • Aug. 20, 2025

The construction of the main part of Three Gorges Dam in 2006 didn't directly impact the finless porpoise, which don't have to go upstream to spawn, although it did affect the fish they eat.

From BBC • Aug. 20, 2025

There has also been community involvement in the porpoise preservation push.

From BBC • Aug. 20, 2025

While they would not have feasted on porpoise, a goose or pig would have been heartily consumed in a time when meat was too expensive for most people to eat regularly.

From Salon • Dec. 23, 2024

"He was a lovely young porpoise," she said.

From "The Witches" by Roald Dahl

Related Words

• mammal