harbor porpoise
harbor porpoise Lexical Profile
• noun
American A small, robust marine mammal of the toothed whale family (Phocoena phocoena) that inhabits the cold temperate and subarctic coastal waters of the Northern Hemisphere, easily recognized by its short, blunt snout and dark gray back.
"During the ferry crossing, the marine biologist pointed out a small pod of harbor porpoises surfacing quickly for air."
Word Nuance & Usage
The spelling 'harbor porpoise' is used in American English, whereas 'harbour porpoise' is the standard spelling in British and Commonwealth English.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The name reflects the species' preference for shallow, coastal waters and estuaries (harbors). 'Porpoise' derives from the Old French 'porpois', which comes from the Medieval Latin 'porcopiscis' meaning 'pig fish'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.