# manatee

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmæn.əˌtiː/ · frequency rank #39,906

## Definitions
1. Any of several plant-eating marine mammals, of the genus Trichechus, found in tropical regions.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish manatí, from a Cariban-language term meaning ‘breast’, ultimately from Proto-Cariban *manatɨ; compare Kari'na manaty, Trió manatï, Apalaí manaty, Akawaio manatï, Pemon manatü, Macushi manatî.

## Easily confused with
- **mantle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/manatee-vs-mantle)
- **mantel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/manatee-vs-mantel)
- **mandate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/manatee-vs-mandate)
- **mandated** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/manatee-vs-mandated)
- **manage** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/manage-vs-manatee)
- **manager** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/manager-vs-manatee)
- **managed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/managed-vs-manatee)
- **manages** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/manages-vs-manatee)
- **magnate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/magnate-vs-manatee)

## Common misspellings (9)
`amnatee`, `maantee`, `manaete`, `manate`, `manattee`, `mannatee`, `mantaee`, `mmanatee`, `mnaatee`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/manatee