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Lepomis macrochirus

Lepomis macrochirus

9.0
A small freshwater fish called bluegill, often caught for food and sport
  • noun
  • /lɛˈpoʊmɪs ˌmækrəˈkɪrəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Lepomis macrochirus
  • Anglers prize Lepomis macrochirus for its spirited fight and delicious flavor.

Examples

  • The lake is well stocked with Lepomis macrochirus and other popular game fish.

  • Scientists studied the growth patterns of Lepomis macrochirus in different habitats.

  • The Lepomis macrochirus is a popular fish among anglers.

  • Many people enjoy catching Lepomis macrochirus during the summer.

  • Anglers prize Lepomis macrochirus for its spirited fight and delicious flavor.

  • The lake is well stocked with Lepomis macrochirus and other popular game fish.

  • Many people enjoy catching Lepomis macrochirus during the summer.

Synonyms

bluegill
vsLepomis macrochirus
  • US
3 8.0

A small freshwater fish that people catch for food or sport

is the scientific name rather than the common name

Surface Forms

Morphology

Lepomis + macrochirus

This is a Latin binomial (taxonomic scientific name) rather than a compositional English phrase; the parts are genus/species labels (one undefined in the input) and not common English words whose meanings compose to 'bluegill'. Even if a learner recognised Latin/Greek elements (e.g., macro-), these roots are specialized and do not transparently yield the everyday meaning 'bluegill', so a B1 learner would not be able to derive the referent from the constituents.

Etymology

The name Lepomis macrochirus is the scientific name for the 'bluegill'. The part macrochirus comes from words meaning 'big hand', a picture of the fish's large side fin, and Lepomis marks a group of small sunfish. So, this two-word name points to that particular fish.