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Glite Dictionary
frogfish

frogfish

1 8.8
A sea fish with a mouth like a frog and a small lure on its nose to attract fish
  • noun
  • /ˈfrɔgˌfɪʃ/
translation icon : pez rana
  • The frogfish is known for its unique ability to camouflage itself among the rocks and seaweed.

Examples

  • There are plenty of tropical fish to see too, including colored frogfish, deadly dragon moray eels with their distinctive red and white bodies, plus, if you're lucky, bowmouth guitarfish and families of whale sharks.

    Blog text (3)

  • During the dive, we spotted a vibrant frogfish using its lure to attract smaller fish near the coral.

  • They're smelts, ling, conger eel, John Dory, pilchards and frogfish.

    Frenzy (1972)

  • While snorkeling, I was amazed to see a frogfish sitting motionless, waiting for its prey to come close.

Synonyms

angler fish
vsfrogfish
7.4

A deep sea fish with a large mouth and a glowing lure on its head to attract prey

emphasizes a frog shaped mouth and a lure on the snout
angler
vsfrogfish
9.9

A fish with a light on its head that lures other fish

highlights frog like mouth and a lure on the snout
allmouth
vsfrogfish
9.9

A deep-sea fish with a large mouth and a long wormlike filament used to attract prey

focuses instead on the frog shaped mouth and snout lure

Surface Forms

frogfish singular
frogfishes plural

Morphology

frogfish = frog + fish (transparent) = frog + fish

A literal compound 'frog' + 'fish' denoting a fish that resembles a frog; the meaning is directly inferable from the parts.

Etymology

Frogfish comes from putting the common words frog and fish together because this sea creature has a 'frog-like' mouth and often sits very still like a frog. So a frogfish is a fish that looks and behaves like a frog and uses a small lure on its snout to attract prey.