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porpoise definition

por·poise (pôr′pəs)

noun pl. porpoises -·poises or porpoise -·poise

  1. any of a family (Phocoenidae) of small, usually gregarious toothed whales found in most seas, with a torpedo-shaped body and a blunt snout
  2. a dolphin or any of several small whales

Etymology: ME porpoys < OFr porpeis, lit., swine fish < L porcus, pig (see farrow) + piscis, fish

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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