Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
six-gilled shark

six-gilled shark

9.3
A large shark with six gill slits that lives in warm seas
  • noun
  • /sɪks ɡɪld ʃɑrk/
translation icon : tiburón de seis branquias
  • Unlike most sharks, the six-gilled shark has a more primitive appearance and six distinct gill slits.

Examples

  • The six-gilled shark can be found in deep waters across the world's oceans.

  • Scientists were excited to observe a rare six-gilled shark near the underwater canyon.

  • The six-gilled shark is often found in deep waters.

  • Did you know that the six-gilled shark has six gill slits?

  • The six-gilled shark is a fascinating creature that inhabits warm seas and has unique adaptations.

  • Researchers noted that the six-gilled shark is capable of surviving in deep, dark ocean environments.

  • The characteristic feature of the six-gilled shark is its six gill slits, which distinguish it from other sharks.

Synonyms

Hexanchus griseus
vssix-gilled shark
  • Specialized
9.9

A large deep sea shark with six gill slits and a blunt nose

describes the animal generally rather than the precise scientific species

Surface Forms

six-gilled shark singular
six-gilled sharks plural

Morphology

six-gilled + shark

The phrase is fully compositional: 'six-gilled' means 'having six gill slits' and combined with 'shark' yields a shark with six gills. This is a regular adjectival compound formation (number + attribute + noun), common across languages and readily inferable by a B1 learner who knows the component words.

Etymology

Six-gilled shark is a straightforward name: the shark really has six gill slits, the fish 'breathing openings', instead of the usual five. So the parts six and gilled point to those six breathing slits and help you remember this unusual, more 'primitive' shark.