sergeant major
- noun
- /ˈsɑrdʒənt ˈmeɪdʒər/
:
pez sargento
- The distinctive stripes of the sergeant major make it easy to identify for snorkelers.
Examples
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I saw a beautiful sergeant major swimming near the reef.
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While snorkeling, I spotted a colorful sergeant major fish swimming among the coral reefs.
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Sergeant majors are commonly seen near the surface in tropical oceans.
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A school of sergeant major fish darted around the coral reef.
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The sergeant major is known for its striking colors.
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The sergeant major fish darted around excitedly, showcasing its striking black vertical stripes.
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In the shallow waters near the beach, a school of sergeant majors gathered, creating a beautiful display of blue-grey hues.
Synonyms
1
8.1
A small brightly colored tropical fish that lives on coral reefs
A bright tropical fish with black stripes often seen near coral reefs
A small bright fish with bold vertical stripes that lives on warm coral reefs, often called a sergeant-major
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is built from two rank words so a learner who knows 'sergeant' and 'major' can reasonably infer it denotes a senior or higher-level sergeant (a high-ranking non-commissioned officer), giving a clear compositional link. However, the exact institutional sense — that it is a specific chief administrative NCO role or the highest NCO rank, and that 'major' here does not refer to the commissioned officer rank — is conventional and may be confusing without prior exposure. This partial predictability makes it only partly transparent.
Etymology
Sergeant major (fish) gets its name from its bold black stripes that look like the rank stripes on a soldier's uniform, so people thought of a sergeant or major when they saw it. That's why sailors and snorkelers call this striped fish sergeant major today.