pinnipède
/pi.ni.pɛd/masculine
The English word pinniped is translated into French as pinnipède.
This noun refers to a marine mammal.
Meaning: marine mammal (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and is pronounced /pi.ni.pɛd/.
Did you know?
- The root 'pinna' in Latin is also the ancestor of the French word 'péninsule', meaning a piece of land that reaches into the sea like a fin.
- French has a specific term called otarie for fur seals and sea lions, which falls under pinnipède, but the word phoque is often used as a generic catch-all term by non-experts.
- French distinguishes between pinnipèdes and cétacés, whereas English speakers often group them together as 'marine mammals' in general conversation.
Examples in context
- Le phoque est un pinnipède.The seal is a pinniped.
- Le morse est un grand pinnipède.The walrus is a large pinniped.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Emma are visiting a marine biology museum.
- GabrielRegarde ce pinnipède, Emma !Look at this pinniped, Emma!
- EmmaC'est un otarie ou un phoque ?Is it a sea lion or a seal?
- GabrielJe pense que c'est un phoque.I think it is a seal.
- EmmaCe pinnipède a l'air très calme.This pinniped looks very calm.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pinniped” translations and entries pinnipède, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
