Skip to content

Tümmler

bottlenose dolphin

noun TUEM-ler Rare

Also means

common dolphin (colloquial)

Usage Note

Tümmler is the traditional German name for the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus); it derives from tummeln (to frolic). Sightings of Große Tümmler in the North Sea are reported annually and attract media attention.

Examples

"Ein Tümmler begleitete das Boot auf der Überfahrt nach Helgoland."

Natural Translation

A bottlenose dolphin accompanied the boat on the crossing to Helgoland.

Literal Translation

A bottlenose-dolphin accompanied the boat on the crossing to Helgoland.

Free starter pack

Building your German vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common German words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Explore German by topic