Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
sailor's-choice

sailor's-choice

1 9.9
A silver, striped fish found near coasts from Florida to Brazil
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : pescado de elección del marinero

Synonyms

sailors choice
vssailor's-choice
  • US
8.6

A small striped fish that lives near coasts from Florida to Brazil and in the Gulf of Mexico

is popular with anglers and important for local fishing communities
Haemulon parra
vssailor's-choice
  • Specialized
9.9

A sea fish with a round body that lives near coral reefs from Florida to Brazil

is seen as a coastal fish prized by anglers and used locally

Surface Forms

sailor's-choice singular
sailor's-choices plural

Morphology

sailor's-choice = sailor + choice (semi-transparent) = sailor + choice

The components 'sailor' and 'choice' are clear, but the compound names a specific fish species, so the general compositional meaning ('a choice belonging to sailors') is specialized.

Etymology

The word sailor's-choice comes from the simple idea that sailors often picked this fish as a good, reliable catch. Think of it as sailor + choice: a 'sailor's' 'choice' for food and fishing, which is why the name fits this silver, striped coastal fish.