Atlantic croaker
- noun
- /əˈtlæntɪk ˈkroʊkər/
- US
:
croaker atlántico
- During our fishing trip, we were excited to hear the distinct sound of the Atlantic croaker as it splashed against the waves.
Examples
-
At times, two typically southern fishes, Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) and Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus), were abundant enough to be important in commercial catches.
Academic text (1990) -
Atlantic croaker, sand sea trout, spot, and kingfishes were the other most common catches for saltwater anglers last year.
Blog text (25) -
Atlantic croaker was landed in quantity in the 1910s, 1920s, and also the late 1930s and early 1940s, but has since been scarce (McHugh, 1977).
Academic text (1990) -
The fisherman caught several Atlantic croaker while casting his line in the ocean.
-
While cleaning the day's catch, we noticed the dark markings on the Atlantic croaker we had just caught.
Synonyms
A silvery fish with dark marks and small whiskers, often called Atlantic croaker
A fish that lives near the shore and makes a croaking sound
Lean saltwater fish meat often sold and eaten as food
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'Atlantic' specifies geographic origin and 'croaker' names a fish that croaks, so a learner who knows both words can infer it is a fish from the Atlantic that makes a croaking sound. This is a straightforward ADJ + NOUN species-naming pattern (not idiomatic), so the meaning is predictable.
Etymology
Atlantic croaker is named for the sound the fish makes. The word croaker points to the low 'croak' noise it makes and Atlantic shows where it lives, so the name means a croaking fish from the Atlantic.
