herring hog
- noun
- UK
:
marsopa
- The herring hog is known for its playful leaps near the coast.
Examples
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The herring hog is often spotted near fishing boats.
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Old fishermen would spot a herring hog and warn the others to watch their herring nets.
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In some coastal communities, the herring hog was once believed to compete with humans for fish.
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Many fishermen refer to the herring hog as a friendly creature.
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In some coastal communities, the herring hog is known to swim close to the shore, delighting onlookers.
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Old fishermen would spot a herring hog and share tales of its curious behavior around their boats.
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The herring hog is often seen basking in the sun, making it a common sight for those near the waters.
Synonyms
13
4.1
A small sea mammal with a short rounded snout and sharp teeth
A small sea mammal like a whale that lives in northern coastal waters
A small sea animal like a dolphin that lives near coasts in the northern Atlantic and Pacific
Surface Forms
Morphology
herring + hog
The components 'herring' (a fish) and 'hog' (literally a pig or figuratively one that eats/hoards) make it plausible for a learner to guess this refers to an animal associated with herrings, so there is a partial, metaphorical connection. However, the specific identification as a porpoise is a regional/colloquial name that cannot be reliably derived from the parts alone, so learners would not predict the exact meaning without prior exposure.
Etymology
The name herring hog may come from old fishermen who saw porpoises eating lots of herring near their nets. They used herring and hog to picture the animal as a pig that 'steals' fish, so the name came to mean the common porpoise seen near the coast.