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

Illustration of manatee

Examples of manatee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Dugongs and manatees are easy to tell apart because of the shape of their tails. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 3 Feb. 2025

Manatee species, such as the African manatee and the Antillean manatee, continue to be poached by humans. —Beth Brady, Sun Sentinel, 21 Jan. 2025

Everglades National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to a variety of wildlife, including rare and endangered species such as the manatee, American crocodile, and the elusive Florida panther, according to the National Park Service (NPS). —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024

On the other side, the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau is highlighted with a manatee image. —Jason Dill, Miami Herald, 16 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Spanish manatí, probably of Carib origin; akin to Antillean Carib manattoüi manatee

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined above

Kids 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