Definitions for dolphins
dol·phins

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. dolphins

   A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (the brackish dolphins), and the extinct Lipotidae (baiji or Chinese river dolphin). There are 40 extant species named as dolphins. Dolphins range in size from the 1.7-metre-long (5 ft 7 in) and 50-kilogram (110-pound) Maui's dolphin to the 9.5 m (31 ft 2 in) and 10-tonne (11-short-ton) orca. Various species of dolphins exhibit sexual dimorphism where the males are larger than females. They have streamlined bodies and two limbs that are modified into flippers. Though not quite as flexible as seals, some dolphins can briefly travel at speeds of 29 kilometres (18 mi) per hour or leap about 30 feet (9.1 m). Dolphins use their conical teeth to capture fast-moving prey. They have well-developed hearing which is adapted for both air and water. It is so well developed that some can survive even if they are blind. Some species are well adapted for diving to great depths. They have a layer of fat, or blubber, under the skin to keep warm in the cold water. Dolphins are widespread. Most species prefer the warm waters of the tropic zones, but some, such as the right whale dolphin, prefer colder climates. Dolphins feed largely on fish and squid, but a few, such as the orca, feed on large mammals such as seals. Male dolphins typically mate with multiple females every year, but females only mate every two to three years. Calves are typically born in the spring and summer months and females bear all the responsibility for raising them. Mothers of some species fast and nurse their young for a relatively long period of time. Dolphins produce a variety of vocalizations, usually in the form of clicks and whistles. Dolphins are sometimes hunted in places such as Japan, in an activity known as dolphin drive hunting. Besides drive hunting, they also face threats from bycatch, habitat loss, and marine pollution. Dolphins have been depicted in various cultures worldwide. Dolphins are sometimes kept in captivity and trained to perform tricks. The most common dolphin species in captivity is the bottlenose dolphin, while there are around 60 orcas in captivity.

U.S. National Library of MedicineRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Dolphins

   Mammals of the families Delphinidae (ocean dolphins), Iniidae, Lipotidae, Pontoporiidae, and Platanistidae (all river dolphins). Among the most well-known species are the BOTTLE-NOSED DOLPHIN and the KILLER WHALE (a dolphin). The common name dolphin is applied to small cetaceans having a beaklike snout and a slender, streamlined body, whereas PORPOISES are small cetaceans with a blunt snout and rather stocky body. (From Walker's Mammals of the World, 5th ed, pp978-9)

Military Dictionary and GazetteerRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. dolphins

   Two handles placed upon a piece of ordnance with their centres over the centre of gravity, by which it was mounted or dismounted. They are no longer in use in the U. S. service.

Editors ContributionRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. dolphinsnoun

   Plural noun of dolphin.

   There are at least ten dolphins in a colony that swim around the bay, we love to sit on the cliff tops or go down near the beach to see them, they bring such joy.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on February 6, 2016  

Suggested ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. dolphins

   Song lyrics by dolphins -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by dolphins on the Lyrics.com website.

How to pronounce dolphins?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say dolphins in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of dolphins in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of dolphins in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of dolphins in a Sentence

1. Rob Hughes:

   You can identify individual dolphins after a while by their scars and marks, because we see them so often, we couldnt tell which one was the mother because there was a group of three or four dolphins sheltering the calf.

2. Bleacher Report:

   Look at Florida. A team like the Dolphins doesn't really get much publicity. Atlanta has the Falcons but they aren't really winning enough to keep interest, right?

3. Douglas Noel Adams:

   Man has always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much-the wheel, New York, wars and so on-while all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man-for precisely the same reason.

4. Sonja Wild:

   Some dolphins use shells quite regularly during foraging, while others have only ever been seen with a shell once, so, while there may be other explanations, it's possible that some dolphins have mastered the skill more than others.

5. Lukas Erichsen:

   Indeed who would be prosecuted or fined should over 500 be killed in the next two years ? No doubt if over 500 were killed in a year then those responsible would claim they did not realize that the pod was so big until it was driven into the shallows and the dolphins killed, this new' quota' is meaningless for dolphins in the long run and has only hastily been announced as a thinly-veiled attempt to deceive both politicians and the press in the face of continued outrage over the killing of dolphins in the Faroe Islands.

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