basket fish
- noun
- Specialized
- The arms of a basket fish form intricate patterns, making them fascinating to observe in the wild.
Examples
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Scientists study the feeding habits of the basket fish to learn more about deep-sea ecosystems.
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Divers were thrilled to spot a rare basket fish clinging to the coral at dawn.
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Look at that basket fish swimming gracefully!
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What a beautiful basket fish!
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Scientists study the feeding habits of the basket fish to learn more about deep-sea ecosystems.
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The arms of a basket fish form intricate patterns, making them fascinating to observe in the wild.
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Divers were thrilled to spot a rare basket fish clinging to the coral at dawn.
Synonyms
A sea animal with a round body and many long, branching arms
A group of sea animals called basket stars that have branched, flexible arms
A group of sea animals like basket stars with many branched, flexible arms that live deep in the ocean
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound clearly signals an animal ('fish') with some relation to a 'basket' (shape or appearance), so a B1 learner would likely infer a sea creature with basket-like features. However, the specific referent is a starfish-like echinoderm (not a true fish) with complex branched arms, a meaning that is not fully predictable from the parts, so the transparency is partial.
Etymology
Basket fish comes from the animal's many long, branching arms that twist and join into a shape like a woven basket. These arms spread out to catch food, so the name shows its 'basket-like' shape and how it feeds.