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 county eviction suit cites multiple federal findings of problems with the Seaquarium’s care of a menagerie that includes dolphins, sea lions, exotic birds and manatees.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 26 June 2024
The documentary, with a score by RZA featuring Seu Jorge, includes encounters with Florida manatees, American crocodiles, and humpback whales that rely on healthy marine ecosystems.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 23 June 2024
With Jupiter Inlet and the Loxahatchee River nearby, the water near Cato’s Bridge contains manatees, stingrays, myriad fish and sometimes dolphins and sea turtles.
—Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 19 June 2024
The impressive ecosystem is the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere and home to a variety of wildlife: seahorses, spotted eagle rays, sea turtles, manatees, and more.
—Jessica Poitevien, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 June 2023
See all Example Sentences for manatee 
Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 26 June 2024
The documentary, with a score by RZA featuring Seu Jorge, includes encounters with Florida manatees, American crocodiles, and humpback whales that rely on healthy marine ecosystems.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 23 June 2024
With Jupiter Inlet and the Loxahatchee River nearby, the water near Cato’s Bridge contains manatees, stingrays, myriad fish and sometimes dolphins and sea turtles.
—Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 19 June 2024
The impressive ecosystem is the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere and home to a variety of wildlife: seahorses, spotted eagle rays, sea turtles, manatees, and more.
—Jessica Poitevien, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 June 2023
See all Example Sentences for manatee
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'manatee.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Manatee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manatee. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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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