porpoise |
American Heritage Dictionary (2 definitions)
- Any of several gregarious toothed whales of the genus Phocaena and related genera, of oceanic waters, characteristically having a blunt snout and a triangular dorsal fin. Also called sea hog.
- Any of several related aquatic mammals, such as the dolphin.
–noun
Century Dictionary (1 definition)
- A small toothed cetacean of the family Delphinidæ and subfamily Delphiminæ, and especially of the genus Phoeæna, of which there are several species, the best-known being P. communis, which attains a length of about 5 feet and has a blunt head not produced into a long beak, and a thick body tapering toward the tail. It is common in the North Atlantic, and usually goes in herds or shoals. It feeds almost entirely on fish. A fine oil is prepared from its blubber, and the skin is made into leather; the flesh is eatable. Several genera and numerous species of small cetaceans share the name porpoise, among them the dolphin. See Delphinus, Lagenorhynchus, and Tursiops.
–noun
GNU Webster's 1913 (2 definitions)
-
Any small cetacean of the genus Phocæna, especially
Phocæna communis , orPhocæna phocæna , of Europe, and the closely allied American species (Phocæna Americana ). The color is dusky or blackish above, paler beneath. They are closely allied to the dolphins, but have a shorter snout. Called alsoharbor porpoise ,herring hag ,puffing pig , andsnuffer . - A true dolphin (Delphinus); -- often so called by sailors.
–noun
WordNet (1 definition)
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Many people are of opinion that the porpoise is a variety of the dolphin.
What Nairne calls a porpoise, is really the beluga, a small white whale.
He took it into his nozzle one day to rite some essays 'on what he knowed of farmin,' which he was about as well posted on as a porpoise is about climbin 'a tree.
"This," exclaimed he, "if I mistake not, augurs well; the porpoise is a fat, well-conditioned fish, a burgomaster among fishes; his looks betoken ease, plenty, and prosperity; I greatly admire this round fat fish, and doubt not but this is a happy omen of the success of our undertaking."
Well, anyway, it's a porpoise, and a porpoise is a kind of shark, isn't it?
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Pronunciations
/ (pôrˈpəs)/
ahd pronounces "porpoise"
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Etymology
American Heritage Dictionary (1)
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Middle English porpeis, from Old French (probably translation of a Germanic compound meaning sea-pig) : porc, pig (from Latin porcus; see porko- in Indo-European roots) + peis, fish (from Latin piscis).
Century Dictionary
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