bottle-nosed dolphin
1
3.5
- noun
- /ˈbɑtəlˌnoʊzd ˈdɑlfɪn/
:
delfín mular
- I've been successfully using the implants on bottle-nosed dolphins for months.
Examples
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While sailing near the coast, we spotted a group of bottle-nosed dolphins swimming alongside our boat.
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The bottle-nosed dolphin.
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On our trip to the Mediterranean, we had the chance to observe a playful bottle-nosed dolphin performing tricks.
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The aquarium featured a show that highlighted the intelligence of the bottle-nosed dolphins interacting with their trainers.
Synonyms
268
1.0
A smart sea mammal with a long nose that lives in the ocean and often swims in groups
3
4.2
A dolphin with a rounded forehead and long beak that lives in the northern Atlantic and Mediterranean
2
2.7
A common sea mammal that lives in the northern Atlantic and Mediterranean and has a rounded forehead and long nose
A common sea mammal with a long nose living in the northern Atlantic and Mediterranean, often in aquariums
A large smart grey dolphin with a short rounded nose that lives near coasts
Surface Forms
Morphology
bottle-nosed + dolphin
The phrase is compositional: 'bottle-nosed' (= having a nose like a bottle) modifies 'dolphin', so the meaning is a dolphin with a bottle-shaped snout. Even if the hyphenated adjective is unfamiliar, a B1 learner who knows 'bottle' and 'nose' can readily infer the referent; similar constructions exist in other languages, supporting transparency.
Etymology
Bottle-nosed dolphin gets its name from the dolphin's long, rounded nose that looked like the narrow neck of a bottle. So the name tells you it is the dolphin with a nose like a bottle.