Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
English sole

English sole

6.6
A flat fish from the Pacific coast of North America often eaten for its mild, tender flesh
  • noun
  • /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ soʊl/
  • US
translation icon : lenguado
  • The chef prepared the English sole with a light lemon butter sauce.

Examples

  • English sole is often sought after for its mild taste and tender texture.

  • The chef prepared a delicious English sole dish for dinner.

  • Fresh English sole fillets can be found in many seafood markets along the West Coast.

  • Have you ever tried English sole with lemon butter sauce?

  • The chef prepared a delicious dish featuring English sole with lemon and herbs.

  • I ordered English sole for dinner because I love its mild flavor.

  • At the seafood market, I found fresh English sole that was perfect for grilling.

Synonyms

Parophrys vitulus
vsEnglish sole
  • Specialized
9.9

A pale brown flat fish from the Pacific coast that people eat

emphasizes mild taste rather than physical colour

Surface Forms

English sole singular
English soles plural

Morphology

English + sole

This is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: 'English' modifies the noun 'sole' to indicate a particular kind or variety of sole. A B1 learner who knows both words will infer it refers to a type of sole fish (even if they might mistakenly assume a geographic origin), so the meaning is transparently derived from the constituents.

Etymology

English sole gets its name from sole, the bottom of a shoe, because the fish is very 'flat' and looks like a shoe's sole. People added 'English' to tell this kind of sole from other soles, and today English sole means a 'flat' fish commonly sold and eaten.