noun
dolphin
DOLF-ihn
noun
1
A highly intelligent, social marine mammal with a beak-like snout, known for its playfulness.
"A pod of dolphins followed the boat for several miles."
"Dolphins use clicks and whistles to communicate with each other."
2
A large, brightly coloured game fish also known as mahi-mahi or dorado (unrelated to the mammal).
"The restaurant served fresh dolphin, listed on the menu as mahi-mahi."
How to Use Dolphin
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUsually refers to the sea mammal famous for its intelligence, though it can also mean the mahi-mahi fish.
Common mistake
The fish called "dolphin" or "dolphinfish" is not related to the marine mammal — menus often use "mahi-mahi" to avoid confusion.
Common pairings
a pod of dolphins
bottlenose dolphin
Word Forms
dolphins plural, dolphins plural, Dolphins plural, Dolphins plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “dolphin”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
A pod of _____ followed the boat for several miles.
Etymology
From Greek delphís, related to a word for "womb" — from Middle English delphyn via Latin delphinus.