humpback dolphin

noun

plural humpback dolphins
: any of a genus (Sousa) of dolphins that have a prominent hump midway down the back topped by a small dorsal fin and that are found in warm coastal waters of the eastern Atlantic, western Pacific, and Indian oceans
Humpback dolphins have long been recognized as vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts because of their small population sizes, slow life history and rapidly increasing pressure from human settlement …Guido J. Parra and Daniele Cagnazzi
Atlantic humpback dolphins, with distinctive humps on their backs topped by rounded dorsal fins, live exclusively in relatively shallow waters and are most common in estuarine environments close to shore.Marjorie Fishman et al.
Living close to coasts and rivers, the Australian humpback dolphin is susceptible to pollution as well as shark and fishing nets.Philippe Coquerand

Examples of humpback dolphin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The pinkish-white adult dolphins were identified as Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, the group said. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 13 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of humpback dolphin was in 1970

Dictionary Entries Near humpback dolphin

Cite this Entry

“Humpback dolphin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humpback%20dolphin. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!