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Glite Dictionary
European sole

European sole

7.0
A flat fish that lives in European waters and people eat as food
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : lenguado
  • She bought fresh European sole at the market for tonight’s dinner.

Examples

  • The restaurant’s specialty was grilled European sole served with a lemon butter sauce.

  • Fishermen in the North Sea have noticed a decline in European sole populations.

  • The chef prepared a delicious dish with European sole.

  • Have you ever tasted European sole?

  • The restaurant’s specialty was grilled European sole served with a lemon butter sauce.

  • She bought fresh European sole at the market for tonight’s dinner.

  • Fishermen in the North Sea have noticed a decline in European sole populations.

Synonyms

sole
vsEuropean sole
4 6.5

A flat fish with both eyes on the right side commonly eaten in Europe

is narrower and names a single species rather than the broader group
Solea solea
vsEuropean sole
  • Specialized
7.7

A flat sea fish often eaten as food in Europe

is a regional common name for the same species

Surface Forms

European sole singular
European soles plural

Morphology

European + sole

The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'European' (pertaining to Europe) modifying 'sole' (a type of flatfish), so a learner who knows both words will understand it refers to a sole from Europe. This adjective+noun pattern is a standard, transparent lexical combination found across languages and would be immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner.

Etymology

European sole gets its name from the fish's flat shape: the word sole comes from Latin 'solea', meaning 'sandal' or 'slipper', because the fish looks like a small shoe. That's why European sole is the name for this flat, tasty 'food fish'.