Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Swimming; having the habit of swimming in water.
  • Used in or adapted for swimming: as, natatory organs; natatory membranes.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Adapted for swimming or floating.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective of, or relating to, swimming

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin natare

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Examples

  • And yet 'this natatory art' is but little cultivated amongst us.

    The Hero of the Humber or the History of the Late Mr. John Ellerthorpe Henry Woodcock

  • The myrmidons of Inspector Bucket, foot and horse, supplement those natatory representatives.

    Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science Volume 17, No. 097, January, 1876 Various

  • Captain Webb's feat of trying to go down the Falls of Niagara; although, it might be mentioned incidentally, that, at the time they attempted their natatory exploit, that reckless swimmer's name was unknown to fame.

    Fritz and Eric The Brother Crusoes

  • "No, Captain," replied Bob, who was busy undressing; and, within a few moments he had plunged into the sea, and was swimming out with a brave firm stroke in a way that fully justified the Captain's praise of his natatory powers, shouting out at intervals his customary war - cry -- "Jolly!"

    Bob Strong's Holidays Adrift in the Channel John B. [Illustrator] Greene

  • When winter set in, Steve's class increased in numbers until in January he was conducting the natatory education of more than two dozen fellows.

    Left End Edwards Ralph Henry Barbour 1907

  • The superior glutton is the shark, -- that mouth with fins, that natatory intestine which swallows with equal indifference the dead and the living, flesh and wood, cleanses the waters of life and leaves a desert behind its wriggling tail; but this destroyer brings forth only one shark that is born armed and ferocious ready from the very first moment to continue the paternal exploits, like a feudal heir.

    Mare Nostrum (Our Sea) A Novel Vicente Blasco Ib����ez 1897

  • You ought to get out of that stagnant pond of yours, and come where the natatory medium is fresh, clean, and thickly peopled with suckers, and a new run of 'em coming on right soon.

    Aladdin & Co. A Romance of Yankee Magic Herbert Quick 1893

  • During many watches not a single natatory bird was seen.

    The Voyage of the Vega round Asia and Europe, Volume I and Volume II Alexander Leslie 1866

  • Perhaps this natatory clothing had kept him above water, while the surf had borne him to shore?

    Godfrey Morgan A Californian Mystery Jules Verne 1866

  • Darwin (Balanidae Plate 30 Figure 5) of the first natatory foot of the pupa of Lepas australis, with that of Lernaeodiscus Porcellanae published in the 'Archiv fur Naturgeschichte' (1863 Taf 3 Figure 5).

    Facts and Arguments for Darwin Fritz Muller 1859

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