order Cetacea
- noun
- /ˈɔrdər sɪˈteɪʃə/
- Specialized
- Marine biologists study members of the order Cetacea to understand their migration patterns.
Examples
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Evolutionary adaptations in the order Cetacea allow these animals to thrive in aquatic environments.
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The order Cetacea includes some of the largest animals on Earth.
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The order Cetacea comprises a diverse range of aquatic mammals including both whales and dolphins.
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Did you know that the order Cetacea consists of whales and dolphins?
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The order Cetacea consists of marine mammals such as whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
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Scientists study the order Cetacea to learn more about the behaviors of whales and their relatives.
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Many species within the order Cetacea are known for their intelligence and complex social structures.
Synonyms
A group of mammals that live in water like whales, dolphins, and porpoises
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is directly compositional: 'order' in its taxonomic sense combined with the taxon name 'Cetacea' yields the meaning 'the taxonomic order that contains whales, dolphins, and porpoises.' This follows standard scientific noun + taxon-name patterns (common across languages), so a learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Order Cetacea comes from the old word cetus meaning 'sea monster', so it names the 'group' of mammals that includes whales, dolphins and porpoises.