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
Noticeably, the line was longest to enter the Florida pavilion, where guests could receive free plush manatee toys and practice their short game on a Florida shaped mini-putting green.
—
Mike Stunson,
USA Today,
4 July 2026
Keep your eyes open for manatees, crocodiles, or even a Florida panther.
—
Josh Laskin,
Travel + Leisure,
3 July 2026
The state of Florida—of manatee fame—recently introduced a conservative-leaning alternative to the Advanced Placement history course for high-school students.
—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
2 July 2026
Plus, the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, a Smithsonian affiliate, features a planetarium and a manatee rehabilitation habitat.
—
Kelsey Glennon,
Southern Living,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for manatee
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Mike Stunson,
USA Today,
4 July 2026
Keep your eyes open for manatees, crocodiles, or even a Florida panther.
—
Josh Laskin,
Travel + Leisure,
3 July 2026
The state of Florida—of manatee fame—recently introduced a conservative-leaning alternative to the Advanced Placement history course for high-school students.
—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
2 July 2026
Plus, the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, a Smithsonian affiliate, features a planetarium and a manatee rehabilitation habitat.
—
Kelsey Glennon,
Southern Living,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for manatee
Cite this Entry
“Manatee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manatee. Accessed 7 Jul. 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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