cetacean

[si-tey-shuh n] /sɪˈteɪ ʃən/
adjective
1.
belonging to the Cetacea, an order of aquatic, chiefly marine mammals, including the whales and dolphins.
noun
2.
a cetacean mammal.
Origin
1830-40; < Neo-Latin Cetace(a) name of the order (see cet-, -acea) + -an
Related forms
cetaceous, adjective
Examples from the web for cetacean
  • Though less studied, cetacean matriarchs may shepherd kin to lush feeding grounds along migration routes.
  • The changes in the cetacean ear, head, and brain that have heightened this sense are a triumph of adaptation.
  • In general, large cetacean species emit low frequencies and small cetacean species emit high frequencies.
  • My research focuses on cetacean life history and population structure.
  • Environmental models of cetacean abundance: reducing uncertainty in population trends.
  • Application of photogrammetric methods for locating and tracking cetacean movements at sea.
  • Fish otoliths in cetacean stomachs and their importance in interpreting feeding habits.
British Dictionary definitions for cetacean

cetacean

/sɪˈteɪʃən/
adjective
1.
of, relating to, or belonging to the Cetacea, an order of aquatic placental mammals having no hind limbs and a blowhole for breathing: includes toothed whales (dolphins, porpoises, etc) and whalebone whales (rorquals, right whales, etc)
noun
2.
a whale
Word Origin
C19: from New Latin Cētācea, ultimately from Latin cētus whale, from Greek kētos
Word Origin and History for cetacean
n.

1836, from Cetacea, name of the order of marine mammals, + -an. As an adjective from 1839.

cetacean in Science
cetacean
(sĭ-tā'shən)
Any of various, often very large aquatic mammals of the order Cetacea, having a hairless body that resembles that of a fish. Cetaceans have an elongated skull, a flat, horizontal tail, forelimbs modified into broad flippers, and no hind limbs. They breathe through blowholes located usually at the top of the skull. Whales, dolphins, and porpoises are cetaceans. See more at baleen whale, toothed whale.