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spotted black bass

spotted black bass

7.2
A freshwater fish with dark spots often found in North American rivers and lakes
  • noun
  • /ˈspɑːtɪd blæk bæs/
  • US
translation icon : bass moteado
  • Unlike largemouth bass, the spotted black bass prefers clearer, faster-moving water.

Examples

  • The spotted black bass is popular among anglers for its fighting spirit.

  • She caught a large spotted black bass while fishing in the river.

  • The spotted black bass is a popular game fish.

  • Have you ever caught a spotted black bass?

  • She caught a large spotted black bass while fishing in the river.

  • The spotted black bass is popular among anglers for its fighting spirit.

  • Unlike largemouth bass, the spotted black bass prefers clearer, faster-moving water.

Synonyms

Kentucky black bass
vsspotted black bass
  • Specialized
7.5

A medium-sized freshwater fish with dark spots along its side

is the formal species with a wider North American range and dotted appearance
Micropterus pseudoplites
vsspotted black bass
  • Specialized
9.9

A freshwater fish with dark spots that lives in rivers and lakes in the central and southern United States

is a distinct species known across North America with small dark dot markings

Surface Forms

Morphology

spotted + black + bass

The phrase is a literal noun phrase describing a fish: a 'black bass' that is 'spotted', so its meaning is directly built from the adjectives 'spotted' + 'black' modifying the noun 'bass'. This follows ordinary adjective+noun composition (a cross-linguistically common descriptive pattern) with no idiomatic shift, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer the meaning.

Etymology

The noun spotted black bass is a simple name that shows what the animal looks like: spotted for the many dark dots on its sides, black for its darker colour, and bass for the group of freshwater game 'fish' it belongs to. So the name helps people recognise this particular 'fish' by its 'spots' and colour.