northern sea robin
- noun
- /ˈnɔrðərn si ˈrɑbɪn/
- Specialized
:
robin del mar del norte
- A northern sea robin uses its large pectoral fins to stir up the ocean floor while searching for food.
Examples
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Several anglers in New England reported catching a northern sea robin during their fishing trips last summer.
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The northern sea robin can often be seen gliding above sandy bottoms near the coast.
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Look at that northern sea robin!
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The northern sea robin is known for its vibrant colors.
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A northern sea robin uses its large pectoral fins to stir up the ocean floor while searching for food.
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Several anglers in New England reported catching a northern sea robin during their fishing trips last summer.
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The northern sea robin can often be seen gliding above sandy bottoms near the coast.
Synonyms
A large sea robin fish found in Atlantic coastal waters from Nova Scotia to Florida
A fish that lives on the sea floor, often near shores, with a bony head and winglike fins
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally built — 'northern' signals a northern distribution and 'sea' + 'robin' signals a creature associated with the sea — so a learner who knows the words would infer it denotes a marine animal from the north. However, the specific sense (that a "sea robin" is actually a species of fish rather than a bird, and the precise taxonomic referent) is not fully predictable from the parts, making the meaning only partially transparent.
Etymology
Northern sea robin was named for its large, wing-like front fins that spread like a bird's wings, so people called it a sea robin. The word northern shows it lives in northern waters, so the name tells you what the fish looks like and where it lives.
