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Glite Dictionary
black marlin

black marlin

7.4
A very large fast fish from the Pacific often caught for sport
  • noun
  • /blæk ˈmɑːrlɪn/
  • Australian
translation icon : marlin negro
  • black marlin over 500 pounds

Examples

  • If I could will a big black marlin onto that line, I would.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Many anglers dream of landing a giant black marlin during their fishing trips in the Pacific Ocean.

  • The waters around the Great Barrier Reef are famous for attracting huge black marlin every season.

  • During the tournament, several boats reported catching impressive black marlin, showcasing their incredible speed and size.

Synonyms

Makaira marlina
vsblack marlin
  • Specialized
9.9

A large fish in the Pacific Ocean that can weigh up to 1000 pounds

is known more for speed and being prized by anglers rather than extreme weight

Surface Forms

black marlin singular
black marlins plural

Morphology

black + marlin

The phrase denotes a marlin that is black; its meaning is directly composed from the adjective 'black' (color) and the noun 'marlin' (a type of fish). This simple adjective + noun composition is a common, cross-linguistic pattern and would be immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Black marlin gets its name from how the fish looks: it has a very dark body and a long, pointed bill like a spear. Fishermen used the words black for its colour and marlin for its spear-like nose, so today black marlin means the large, very fast fish prized in sport fishing.