marine animal
4
2.2
- noun
- /mɚˈin ˈænɪməl/
:
animal marino
- Databases of DNA sequences now permit non-experts to identify eggs and larval stages of many marine animals that were previously mysteries.
- other marine animals
- many marine animals
Examples
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Pollution in the ocean poses a serious threat to marine animals like dolphins and whales.
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The exhibit focuses on the theme of predator-prey relationships among marine animals and features special graphics and displays.
Academic text (1993) -
Most marine animals have limits to the temperature range in which they can function.
Academic text (2011) -
And every year, more than 1 million marine animals die from eating or getting caught in this debris.
Academic text (2010) -
Plastic bottle caps are often mistaken for food by marine animals.
Academic text (2005) -
A number of marine animals were spared by painstakingly cleaning them and later returning them to their native waters.
Academic text (2012) -
The Florida manatee is more than just a slow-moving, seal-shaped marine animal.
Academic text (1991) -
Sea turtles, sharks, dolphins, seabirds, and other marine animals die as "bycatch" when they are unintentionally captured by fishing equipment.
Academic text (2010) -
Every year, many marine animals migrate to warmer waters to breed.
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The aquarium features various exhibits showcasing the diversity of marine animals found in coral reefs.
Synonyms
15
1.1
An animal that lives in the sea like a fish or dolphin
3
2.6
An animal that lives in the sea, like a fish or octopus
1
1.0
A living thing that lives in the sea like a fish or whale
How Aquatic
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase is compositionally built from 'marine' (living in or associated with the sea) modifying 'animal' (an organism), so the meaning 'an animal that lives in the sea' is directly derivable from the parts. This adjective+noun pattern is cross-linguistically common and follows standard English composition, making it immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows the constituents.
Etymology
Marine animal is a clear picture: marine means 'sea' and animal means a living creature, so together the phrase names any creature that lives in the sea. That's why we use marine animal to talk about fish, whales, and other sea life.