shovelhead

1 8.9

A small shark with a wide, flat head that lives in shallow bays where rivers meet the sea

noun
/ˈʃʌvəlˌhɛd/

Specialized

: tiburón martillo

Examples

Uh, mine's a 74-inch Shovelhead...

Mask (1985)
After graduation, I set out on that route on that '82 Harley shovelhead.

From Life (2018)
Second Run 1980 Shovelhead.

The Mule (2018)
While swimming in the bay, we spotted a shovelhead shark gliding gracefully through the water.
The marine biologist explained that the shovelhead is a small species of hammerhead shark known for its distinctive spade-shaped head.
During our research trip, we observed several shovelhead sharks in the estuary, where they often hunt for fish.

Synonyms

bonnethead

vsshovelhead

Specialized

9.0

A small shark with a short spade-shaped head that lives in shallow coastal waters

is an alternate common name for the same species

bonnet shark

vsshovelhead

Specialized

8.1

A small harmless hammerhead shark that lives in shallow bays and river mouths

is another common name referring to the same species

Sphyrna tiburo

vsshovelhead

Specialized

9.9

A small harmless hammerhead shark called the bonnethead that lives in shallow bays

is the informal common name used outside scientific contexts

Surface Forms

shovelhead singular

shovelheads plural

Morphology

shovelhead = shovel + head (transparent) = shovel + head

The compound denotes a head shaped like a shovel; knowing 'shovel' and 'head' lets learners infer the meaning.

Etymology

Shovelhead comes from shovel ('a tool for digging') and head ('top of the body'). The shark's wide, flat head looks like a small shovel and helps it dig or search for food in shallow water, so we call it a shovelhead.