verb
- to locate objects by emitting sounds and listening to the echoes that bounce back
Usage: transitive or intransitive; used of animals such as bats and dolphins
Examples
- Bats echolocate by emitting high-frequency sounds and analyzing the returning echoes.
- Dolphins echolocate to navigate murky ocean waters and find prey.
- The bat echolocates as it flies through the dark cave.
- Many nocturnal animals echolocate to hunt in complete darkness.
- Scientists study how whales echolocate to understand their communication methods.
- The creature echolocates by producing clicks and listening for the reflections.