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Glite Dictionary
porcupine fish

porcupine fish

7.2
A warm sea fish with spines that stand out when it puffs up
  • noun
  • /ˈpɔrkjəˌpaɪn fɪʃ/
translation icon : pez puercoespín
  • The porcupine fish inflates its body and raises its spines when threatened by predators.

Examples

  • Many species of porcupine fish are found in tropical and subtropical seas around the world.

  • Divers encountered a porcupine fish hiding among the coral reefs.

  • The porcupine fish swam gracefully through the coral reef.

  • Did you see the porcupine fish at the aquarium?

  • When threatened, the porcupine fish expands its body and its spines stick up for protection.

  • Diving in the Caribbean, we spotted a porcupine fish puffing up to defend itself against danger.

  • The local aquarium features a porcupine fish that visitors enjoy watching as it inflates.

Synonyms

porcupinefish
vsporcupine fish
8.3

A fish from warm seas that puffs up and shows sharp spines to protect itself

is written as two separate words instead of one
Diodon hystrix
vsporcupine fish
  • Specialized
9.9

A spiny fish that puffs up and raises its spines to scare predators

is the general warm-water spiny fish category rather than one species
Diodon
vsporcupine fish
  • Specialized
9.9

A tropical or subtropical sea fish with spines that can puff up when threatened

is one warm-water spiny fish rather than the broader genus
Diodontidae
vsporcupine fish
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of sea fish with sharp spines that puff up their bodies when in danger

is a single warm-water spiny fish rather than the entire family

Surface Forms

porcupine fish singular
porcupine fishes plural

Morphology

porcupine + fish

The meaning—a fish characterized by porcupine-like spines—is directly and compositionally derivable from 'porcupine' (an animal with quills) + 'fish' (an aquatic vertebrate). This is a straightforward noun-noun compound following common cross-linguistic naming patterns for animals, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would likely infer the meaning.

Etymology

Porcupine fish gets its name from the way this small fish puffs up and makes its sharp spines stick out, so it looks like a porcupine. That's why the name reminds us the fish 'inflates' and shows its spines to protect itself.