Porpoise
noun
A small type of water animal similar to a dolphin but smaller and with a different shape.
I saw a group of porpoises swimming in the sea near the shore.
Often appears as...
- common porpoise
- porpoise pod
noun
Porpoise is also used to refer to a clumsy or awkward person.
Stop splashing around like a porpoise and swim properly.
Often appears as...
- act like a porpoise
- clumsy porpoise
Usage tips
Informal, Disapproving
Colloquial
noun
A small type of water animal similar to a dolphin but smaller and with a different shape.
I saw a group of porpoises swimming in the sea near the shore.
Often appears as...
- common porpoise
- porpoise pod
noun
Porpoise is also used to refer to a clumsy or awkward person.
Stop splashing around like a porpoise and swim properly.
Often appears as...
- act like a porpoise
- clumsy porpoise
Usage tips
Informal, Disapproving
Colloquial
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Physical Traits
Porpoises have a rounded head and shorter beak than dolphins, a distinction significant in animal studies.
You can identify a porpoise by its blunt snout.
Pro Tip 2/3Ocean Mammals
Porpoises are marine mammals; they need to surface for air and are warm-blooded.
The porpoise breached the surface to breathe.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Dolphins
Though similar to dolphins, porpoises are not as commonly trained for entertainment in marine parks.
Unlike dolphins, you won’t often see a porpoise doing tricks.
Compare with
cetaceandolphinflipper
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Video examples
How whales breathe,...
and mammals breathe air. Their nose can be opened and closed, as if you were to pinch it like this. You can see it's open in the bottom frame, where the red arrows are. But not all whales have two nostrils. Whales include the groups of dolphins and porpoises, and dolphins and porpoises, the small whales,
Video examples
The Surprising...
simpler animal more likely to take orders we can dominate this creature in a way we cannot do with same porpoises or some animal that's more known for its intelligence and the military actually had some experience trying to use animals as bombers during world war ii
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 142 PIPE...
I've never seen an elephant with all feet or through the hippos definitely they porpoise a lot in water then their feet come off over the floor but of course I've got the buoyancy to help them and so see ya I suppose the hippo as well that's what they always say if
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 146 PIPE...
porpoise or maybe maybe a seal would also be considered amphibious so let's call them amphibious mammals rather than aquatic ones do you want to get in for it is it necessary since all alright Cinda would like to go to infrared oh
Video examples
The amazing brains and...
Well, what is that brain good for? That brain has to outwit other big, smart brains that are trying to eat it, and that includes porpoises and seals and barracudas and sharks and even us humans.
Video examples
How smart are dolphins?...
That's because dolphins are one of the smartest animals species on Earth. So exactly how smart are they? Like whales and porpoises, dolphins belong to the group of aquatic mammals
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 4 PIPE...
if the hippo are related to whales now I thought that that's very bizarre what what are the chances but apparently apparently archeologists believe that the whales porpoises
Video examples
Killer Whale Ears PIPE Wild...
character goes by the name of granny she may be more than 90 years old but one morning in met can encounter them very steering suddenly a group of porpoises start
Video examples
Rediscovering ourselves...
so is a hog in me and a fish I know I come from salt blue water gates I scurried with shoals of hearings i blue water starts with whales and porpoises
Video examples
Deadly Killer Whale...
not much remains of the porpoise after the whales are through with it
Video examples
How whales breathe,...
and mammals breathe air. Their nose can be opened and closed, as if you were to pinch it like this. You can see it's open in the bottom frame, where the red arrows are. But not all whales have two nostrils. Whales include the groups of dolphins and porpoises, and dolphins and porpoises, the small whales,
Video examples
The Surprising...
simpler animal more likely to take orders we can dominate this creature in a way we cannot do with same porpoises or some animal that's more known for its intelligence and the military actually had some experience trying to use animals as bombers during world war ii
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 142 PIPE...
I've never seen an elephant with all feet or through the hippos definitely they porpoise a lot in water then their feet come off over the floor but of course I've got the buoyancy to help them and so see ya I suppose the hippo as well that's what they always say if
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 146 PIPE...
porpoise or maybe maybe a seal would also be considered amphibious so let's call them amphibious mammals rather than aquatic ones do you want to get in for it is it necessary since all alright Cinda would like to go to infrared oh
Video examples
The amazing brains and...
Well, what is that brain good for? That brain has to outwit other big, smart brains that are trying to eat it, and that includes porpoises and seals and barracudas and sharks and even us humans.
Video examples
How smart are dolphins?...
That's because dolphins are one of the smartest animals species on Earth. So exactly how smart are they? Like whales and porpoises, dolphins belong to the group of aquatic mammals
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 4 PIPE...
if the hippo are related to whales now I thought that that's very bizarre what what are the chances but apparently apparently archeologists believe that the whales porpoises
Video examples
Killer Whale Ears PIPE Wild...
character goes by the name of granny she may be more than 90 years old but one morning in met can encounter them very steering suddenly a group of porpoises start
Video examples
Rediscovering ourselves...
so is a hog in me and a fish I know I come from salt blue water gates I scurried with shoals of hearings i blue water starts with whales and porpoises
Video examples
Deadly Killer Whale...
not much remains of the porpoise after the whales are through with it
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Tim Cope
Australian Author
I love the Altai Mountains. Crimea, despite all the conflict, is a remarkable place historically, culturally and physically. The mountains drop down into the sea. Porpoises swim in the shallows. Horses gallop through the grass. There are huge rocks, castles, caves.
Quote examples
Joshua Slocum
Canadian Explorer
On this day there was soon wind enough and to spare. The same might have been said of the sea. The Spray was in the midst of the turbulent Gulf Stream itself. She was jumping like a porpoise over the uneasy waves.
Quote examples
Colin Mochrie
Scottish Actor
Our top story tonight: Famous TV dolphin flipper was arrested today on prostitution ring charges. He allegedly was seen transporting two 16 year olds across state line for immoral porpoises.
Quote examples
Lewis Carroll
English Author
No good fish goes anywhere without a porpoise.
Quote examples
Tim Cope
Australian Author
I love the Altai Mountains. Crimea, despite all the conflict, is a remarkable place historically, culturally and physically. The mountains drop down into the sea. Porpoises swim in the shallows. Horses gallop through the grass. There are huge rocks, castles, caves.
Quote examples
Joshua Slocum
Canadian Explorer
On this day there was soon wind enough and to spare. The same might have been said of the sea. The Spray was in the midst of the turbulent Gulf Stream itself. She was jumping like a porpoise over the uneasy waves.
Quote examples
Colin Mochrie
Scottish Actor
Our top story tonight: Famous TV dolphin flipper was arrested today on prostitution ring charges. He allegedly was seen transporting two 16 year olds across state line for immoral porpoises.
Quote examples
Lewis Carroll
English Author
No good fish goes anywhere without a porpoise.
Example 1 of 4
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