Illustration of manatee
manatee
noun
man·a·tee
ˈma-nə-ˌtē 
: any of a genus (Trichechus of the family Trichechidae) of large, herbivorous, aquatic mammals that inhabit warm coastal and inland waters of the southeastern U.S., West Indies, northern South America, and West Africa and have a rounded body, a small head with a squarish snout, paddle-shaped flippers usually with vestigial nails, and a flattened, rounded tail used for propulsion
Note: Manatees are sirenians related to and resembling the dugong but differing most notably in the shape of the tail.
An aquatic relative of the elephant, manatees grow up to nine feet long and can weigh 1,000 pounds.—
Felicity Barringer
Felicity Barringer
Examples of manatee in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The task of moving manatees is a mature specialty performed at several aquariums.
—Kevin Spear, Orlando Sentinel, 19 Jan. 2025
The waters are a haven for bass fishing, bird watching, boating, and even manatee spotting, but simply taking in their beauty from the shore is a rejuvenating way to spend a day.
—Susan Hall Mahon, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2025
An 855-pound female manatee successfully rescued from the Tar River in Greenville, N.C., last fall was released back into the wild in Florida this week.
—Laura Barrero, Axios, 17 Jan. 2025
And in the yard, there's a small menagerie of armatures, wireframes that form the base of sculptures: A manatee, a cow, an elephant, even a bear riding a motorcycle.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025
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Kevin Spear, Orlando Sentinel, 19 Jan. 2025
The waters are a haven for bass fishing, bird watching, boating, and even manatee spotting, but simply taking in their beauty from the shore is a rejuvenating way to spend a day.
—Susan Hall Mahon, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2025
An 855-pound female manatee successfully rescued from the Tar River in Greenville, N.C., last fall was released back into the wild in Florida this week.
—Laura Barrero, Axios, 17 Jan. 2025
And in the yard, there's a small menagerie of armatures, wireframes that form the base of sculptures: A manatee, a cow, an elephant, even a bear riding a motorcycle.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for manatee
Dictionary Entries Near manatee
Cite this Entry
“Manatee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manatee. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
manatee
noun
man·a·tee
ˈman-ə-ˌtē
: any of several chiefly tropical water-dwelling mammals that eat plants and differ from the related dugong especially in having the tail broad and rounded
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