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Glite Dictionary
family Cetorhinidae

family Cetorhinidae

9.9
A group of large sharks that includes only the basking shark
  • noun
  • /ˈfæmɪli ˌsɛtəˈraɪnɪˌdeɪ/
  • Specialized
: familia Cetorhinidae
  • The family Cetorhinidae includes only one living species, the basking shark.

Examples

  • In earlier zoological texts, the basking shark was classified within the family Cetorhinidae.

  • Some scientists debate the validity of family Cetorhinidae as a distinct shark family.

  • The family Cetorhinidae includes the basking shark.

  • Did you know that the family Cetorhinidae is quite unique?

  • In earlier zoological texts, the basking shark was classified within the family Cetorhinidae.

  • Some scientists debate the validity of family Cetorhinidae as a distinct shark family.

  • The family Cetorhinidae includes only one living species, the basking shark.

Synonyms

Cetorhinidae
vsfamily Cetorhinidae
  • Specialized
9.9

A family of large sharks that feed by filtering tiny animals from the sea, including the basking shark

is treated as the same group but seen as only one species historically

Surface Forms

family Cetorhinidae singular
families Cetorhinidae plural

Morphology

family + Cetorhinidae

This is a straightforward taxonomic noun phrase: 'family' (a scientific grouping) combined with the taxon name 'Cetorhinidae' yields the meaning 'the family of Cetorhinidae (basking sharks)'. The meaning is transparently compositional and follows a common cross-linguistic pattern for scientific names, so a learner who knows both constituents will understand it.

Etymology

Family Cetorhinidae comes from the shark name Cetorhinus, which uses Greek parts ceto- ('whale') and -rhin- ('nose'). So, with '-idae' added to make a family name, it gives the image of a very large, whale-like shark with a big snout, which fits the basking shark today.