cetacean

cetacean
1. adjective /sɪˈteɪʃən/
a) Pertaining to the zoologic order Cetacea, or associated with species falling under that taxonomic hierarchy.

The poached blubber was definitely cetacean in origin, but the particular species could not be identified.

b) More generally, relating to large aquatic mammals, either directly or by analogy.

The obese woman, ungainly on land, moved with a kind of cetacean grace in the water.

2. noun /sɪˈteɪʃən/
An animal belonging to the order Cetacea, including dolphins, porpoises, and whales.

The tour promised spiritual experiences with humpback whales and other cetaceans, but all we saw were seagulls and a dead sea otter.


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Cetacean — Ce*ta cean, n. (Zo[ o]l.) One of the Cetacea. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • cetacean — (n.) 1836, from CETACEA (Cf. Cetacea), name of the order of marine mammals …   Etymology dictionary

  • cetacean — Zoology ► NOUN ▪ a marine mammal of an order including whales and dolphins. ► ADJECTIVE ▪ relating to cetaceans. ORIGIN from Greek k tos whale …   English terms dictionary

  • cetacean — [sə tā′shəssə tā′shən] n. [< ModL < L cetus, large sea animal, whale < Gr kētos + ACE(A) + AN] in some systems of classification, any of an order (Cetacea) of nearly hairless, fishlike water mammals, lacking external hind limbs, but… …   English World dictionary

  • cetacean — cetaceous, adj. /si tay sheuhn/, adj. 1. belonging to the Cetacea, an order of aquatic, chiefly marine mammals, including the whales and dolphins. n. 2. a cetacean mammal. [1830 40; < NL Cetace(a) name of the order (see CET , ACEA) + AN] * * *… …   Universalium

  • cetacean — ce•ta•cean [[t]sɪˈteɪ ʃən[/t]] adj. 1) mam belonging to the Cetacea, an order of aquatic, chiefly marine mammals, including the whales and dolphins 2) mam a cetacean mammal • Etymology: 1830–40; < NL Cetace(a) (Lcēt(us)whale, cetacean (<… …   From formal English to slang

  • cetacean — noun Etymology: ultimately from Latin cetus whale, from Greek kētos Date: 1835 any of an order (Cetacea) of aquatic mostly marine mammals that includes the whales, dolphins, porpoises, and related forms and that have a torpedo shaped nearly… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • cetacean — ce|tac|ean [sıˈteıʃən] n [Date: 1800 1900; : Latin; Origin: cetus whale , from Greek ketos] technical a ↑mammal that lives in the sea, such as a ↑whale >cetacean adj …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • cetacean — noun (C) technical a mammal (=an animal which feeds its babies on milk) that lives in the sea, such as a whale cetacean adjective …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • cetacean — /səˈteɪʃən / (say suh tayshuhn) adjective 1. belonging to the Cetacea, an order of aquatic, chiefly marine, mammals, including the whales, dolphins, porpoises, etc. –noun 2. a cetacean mammal. {New Latin Cetācea, plural (see cet , acea) + an}… …  

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