Definition of cetacea Cetacea

Ce•ta•ce•a

We found 6 definitions of cetacea from 6 different sources.

What does cetacea mean?

Noun
cetacea - an order of Eutheria
		order Cetacea
		animal order the order of animals
		eutheria, subclass eutheria all mammals except monotremes and marsupials

= synonym
= antonym
= related word

cetacea (n. pl.)
An order of marine mammals, including the whales. Like ordinary mammals they breathe by means of lungs, and bring forth living young which they suckle for some time. The anterior limbs are changed to paddles; the tail flukes are horizontal. There are two living suborders:

cetacea
se-tā′shi-a, n.pl. an order of mammals of aquatic habit and fish-like form, including the Toothed whales, or Odontoceti, and the Baleen whales, or Mystacoceti. To the former belong the Sperm whales, the Bottlenose, the genus Platanista and its allies, and the great family of Dolphins; to the latter, the Right Whale (Balæna), the Humpbacks, and the Rorquals.—n. Cetā′cean.—adj. Cetā′ceous.—n. Cetol′ogy, that part of zoology which treats of whales. [L.,—Gr. kētos, any sea-monster.]

The order Cetacea are marine mammals that live in oceans, seas, and even a few rivers around the world. Whales, dolphins, and porpoises are part of this group. The study of cetaceans is called cetology.