/ ˈdɒlfɪn; NAmE ˈdɑːl-/ noun
a sea animal (a mammal ) that looks like a large fish with a pointed mouth. Dolphins are very intelligent and often friendly towards humans. There are several types of dolphin :
a school of dolphins
—compare porpoise
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French dauphin , from Provençal dalfin , from Latin delphinus , from Greek delphin .