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Glite Dictionary
spotted sunfish

spotted sunfish

8.0
A small freshwater fish with dark spots that people catch for food or fun
  • noun
  • /ˈspɑːtɪd ˈsʌnˌfɪʃ/
  • US
translation icon : pez sol moteado
  • The spotted sunfish is often found in clear, slow-moving streams throughout the southeastern United States.

Examples

  • We caught several spotted sunfish during our fishing trip near the Florida-Georgia border.

  • Anglers appreciate the fight of the spotted sunfish despite its small size.

  • The spotted sunfish is found in many rivers.

  • Many fishermen enjoy catching spotted sunfish for fun.

  • Anglers appreciate the fight of the spotted sunfish despite its small size.

  • The spotted sunfish is often found in clear, slow-moving streams throughout the southeastern United States.

  • We caught several spotted sunfish during our fishing trip near the Florida-Georgia border.

Synonyms

stumpknocker
vsspotted sunfish
  • US
9.9

A small freshwater fish like a sunfish that people catch to eat

emphasizes dark spots rather than size or habitat
Lepomis punctatus
vsspotted sunfish
  • Specialized
9.9

A small freshwater fish with red spots that people catch for food and sport

is the common descriptive name that highlights dark spots

Surface Forms

spotted sunfish singular
spotted sunfishes plural

Morphology

spotted + sunfish

The noun phrase is a straightforward adjectival modification: 'spotted' (having spots) applied to 'sunfish' yields a sunfish that has spots, which matches the given definition. This compositional, descriptive pattern (ADJ + NOUN) is cross-linguistically common and predictable, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

The name spotted sunfish comes from how the fish looks: a small sunfish covered in dark spots, so the words show the fish's appearance. That's why spotted sunfish means a small freshwater fish with dark spots often found in streams in the southeastern United States.