dolphin

B1 Topic:Describing People

US /ˈdɑlf.ɪn/ UK /ˈdɒlf.ɪn/ See IPA manual

Freq #9547

Meanings

1

noun
An intelligent sea mammal with a long nose, known for being playful and friendly toward humans.

A group of dolphins followed the boat, leaping out of the waves.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms dolphins

Derived forms delphinedolphin-friendlydolphinariumdolphinesedolphinetdolphinfishdolphiningdolphinkinddolphinlessdolphinlikedolphinspeakwholphin

Related forms cetacean pod porpoise seal whale

Etymology

From Middle English delphyn, from Latin delphīnus, from Ancient Greek δελφίς (delphís), from δελφύς (delphús, “womb”); the modern form in -ol- is probably influenced by the pronunciation of Middle French dauphin. Compare Swedish delfin. Doublet of dauphin. Displaced native Old English mereswīn (literally “sea pig”), whence English mereswine.

delphyn Middle English delphīnus Latin δελφίς Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

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# dolphin

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈdɑlf.ɪn/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈdɒlf.ɪn/
**Frequency rank:** 9547

## Meanings
1. An intelligent sea mammal with a long nose, known for being playful and friendly toward humans.

## Examples
- A group of dolphins followed the boat, leaping out of the waves.

## Derived Forms
- delphine
- dolphin-friendly
- dolphinarium
- dolphinese
- dolphinet
- dolphinfish
- dolphining
- dolphinkind
- dolphinless
- dolphinlike
- dolphinspeak
- wholphin

## Related Forms
- cetacean
- pod
- porpoise
- seal
- whale

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: delphyn
- Root: delphīnus
- Root: δελφίς

## Etymology
From Middle English delphyn, from Latin delphīnus, from Ancient Greek δελφίς (delphís), from δελφύς (delphús, “womb”); the modern form in -ol- is probably influenced by the pronunciation of Middle French dauphin. Compare Swedish delfin. Doublet of dauphin. Displaced native Old English mereswīn (literally “sea pig”), whence English mereswine.

## AI Etymology
Dolphin comes from Middle English delphyn, from Latin delphīnus, from Ancient Greek δελφίς (delphís), from δελφύς (delphús, “womb”); the modern form in -ol- is probably influenced by the pronunciation of Middle French dauphin. Compare Swedish delfin. Doublet of dauphin. Displaced native Old English mereswīn (literally “sea pig”), whence English mereswine. In current use, the main sense is “An intelligent sea mammal with a long nose, known for being playful and friendly toward humans”.

## Topics
- Describing People

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dolphin

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