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Glite Dictionary
family Atherinidae

family Atherinidae

9.8
A group of small fish with shiny sides that live in salt or fresh water called silversides
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : familia Atherinidae
  • The family Atherinidae includes both marine and freshwater fishes known as silversides.

Examples

  • Researchers have studied the reproductive habits of fishes from the family Atherinidae.

  • The family Atherinidae includes many species of small fish.

  • Many coastal species in California belong to the family Atherinidae.

  • I saw a family Atherinidae swimming in the river.

  • Many coastal species in California belong to the family Atherinidae.

  • Researchers have studied the reproductive habits of fishes from the family Atherinidae.

  • The family Atherinidae includes both marine and freshwater fishes known as silversides.

Synonyms

Atherinidae
vsfamily Atherinidae
  • Specialized
9.9

Small thin fish with silvery sides that live in fresh or salt water, often called silversides

has identical meaning but adds the rank word before the scientific name

Surface Forms

family Atherinidae singular
families Atherinidae plural

Morphology

family + Atherinidae

The phrase is a straightforward taxonomic composition: 'family' as a scientific grouping plus the taxon name 'Atherinidae' yields the family of that group of fishes. This construction follows standard, cross-linguistic scientific naming patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Family Atherinidae may come from an old Greek word for a small silvery fish, and the scientific name Atherinidae evokes the shiny, silvery side of these fishes called 'silversides'. So family Atherinidae simply means the family or group of small, silvery fishes known as 'silversides'.