Illustration of manatee
manatee
noun
man·a·tee ˈma-nə-ˌtē 
: any of a genus (Trichechus of the family Trichechidae) of large, herbivorous, aquatic mammals that inhabit warm coastal and inland waters of the southeastern U.S., West Indies, northern South America, and West Africa and have a rounded body, a small head with a squarish snout, paddle-shaped flippers usually with vestigial nails, and a flattened, rounded tail used for propulsion
Note: Manatees are sirenians related to and resembling the dugong but differing most notably in the shape of the tail.
An aquatic relative of the elephant, manatees grow up to nine feet long and can weigh 1,000 pounds.—
Felicity Barringer
Felicity Barringer
Examples of manatee in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Seagrass meadows stabilize sediments, improve water clarity and provide critical habitat and forage for species ranging from invertebrates to sea turtles and manatees. —Hannah V. Herrero, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026 After the Challenger tag, plates were created to save manatees and the Florida panther. —Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2026 Over the next few years, Florida adopted plates for environmental initiatives, including efforts to save manatees and the Florida panther. —Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026 These changes can kill fish and aquatic plants and threaten species such as manatees, otters and turtles that depend on stable ecosystems. —Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for manatee
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Hannah V. Herrero, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026 After the Challenger tag, plates were created to save manatees and the Florida panther. —Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2026 Over the next few years, Florida adopted plates for environmental initiatives, including efforts to save manatees and the Florida panther. —Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026 These changes can kill fish and aquatic plants and threaten species such as manatees, otters and turtles that depend on stable ecosystems. —Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for manatee
Cite this Entry
“Manatee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/manatee. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
manatee
noun
man·a·tee ˈman-ə-ˌtē
: any of several chiefly tropical water-dwelling mammals that eat plants and differ from the related dugong especially in having the tail broad and rounded
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