delfín
“delfín” means “dolphin” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
dolphin
📝 In Action
Vimos un delfín saltando en el mar.
A1We saw a dolphin jumping in the sea.
Los delfines son animales muy inteligentes y sociales.
A2Dolphins are very intelligent and social animals.
El delfín mular es la especie más conocida.
B1The bottlenose dolphin is the most well-known species.
successor
Also: heir apparent, Dauphin
📝 In Action
El ministro de economía es el delfín del presidente.
C1The economy minister is the president's hand-picked successor.
Muchos se preguntan quién será el delfín en el partido político.
C1Many wonder who will be the chosen successor in the political party.
El delfín de Francia vivía en el Palacio de Versalles.
C2The Dauphin of France lived in the Palace of Versailles.
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Quick Quiz: delfín
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'two dolphins' in Spanish?
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👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'delphinus', which came from the Greek word 'delphís'. The political meaning comes from the province of Dauphiné in France, whose lords had a dolphin on their coat of arms; the title later became that of the King's eldest son.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'delfina' ever mean a female dolphin?
No. 'Delfina' is only used to describe a woman who is a political successor or the historical wife of the French Dauphin.
Why does the accent disappear in 'delfines'?
Spanish rules say that words ending in 's' usually have the stress on the second-to-last syllable. Since 'del-fi-nes' naturally stresses the 'fi', no accent mark is needed.
Is 'delfín' used for porpoises too?
Technically no. In Spanish, a porpoise is called a 'marsopa', though people sometimes confuse them in casual conversation.