river dolphin
1
4.8
- noun
- /ˈrɪvər ˈdɑlfɪn/
:
delfín de río
- Mr. and Mrs. Sierra Club, hoping to save the river dolphin, are carrying pamphlets intended for the workers.
Examples
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Efforts to protect the river dolphin have increased as conservationists raise awareness about their dwindling population.
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A group, a pod... of salt river dolphins that actually drive the fish on shore and go after them and eat them.
Fiction book (1998) -
"Pink-bellied river dolphins," Renato said and shut the motor off.
Fiction book (1998) -
Also, Fish and Dave, when Mao took power, he ordered the extermination of the Yangtze river dolphin.
Blog text (18) -
The Amazon river dolphin, known for its distinctive pink color, is often spotted swimming gracefully in the waters of Brazil.
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Scientists are tracking the movements of river dolphins to better understand their habitat and improve conservation strategies.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning — a dolphin that lives in rivers — is directly and transparently derived from combining 'river' (a freshwater watercourse) with 'dolphin' (the marine mammal). This is a straightforward compositional noun phrase found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the intended referent.
Etymology
River dolphin comes from the simple image of a dolphin living in a river instead of the sea. So the name means a dolphin that lives in 'rivers' or 'fresh water', not the ocean.