thresher shark
1
6.8
- noun
- /ˈθrɛʃər ʃɑrk/
:
tiburón martillo
- While scuba diving in the ocean, I saw a magnificent thresher shark with its long tail gracefully slicing through the water.
- thresher shark, Alopias vulpinus
- thresher shark, Alopias
Examples
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MAP: Figure 19. Total tagging distribution for the thresher shark, Alopias vulpinus, from the NMFS Cooperative Shark Tagging Program during 1962-93.
Academic text (1998) -
Fishermen along the coast often encounter a thresher shark when targeting tuna, as they use their tails to herd smaller fish.
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Marine biologists study the behavior of the thresher shark to understand how it uses its unique tail for hunting.
Synonyms
664
1.0
A large sea fish with sharp teeth that eats other animals
1
9.4
A large shark from warm seas with a long tail like a whip that it uses to stun small fish
A large ocean shark with a long whiplike tail used to hunt small fish
A large shark with a very long tail that it uses to hit small fish
A group of sharks with a very long tail
A large shark in warm seas with a long whiplike tail used to herd and stun small fish
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward noun-noun compound: 'thresher' (one that threshes or a shark known for using its tail) + 'shark' yields a shark characterized by threshing behavior. The meaning is directly compositional and follows common English compounding patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer it.
Etymology
Thresher shark: The name thresher shark comes from its very long, whip-like tail, which reminds people of a farm 'thresher' that beats grain. The shark uses its tail to hit or 'stun' schools of fish, so the name helps you remember it is a large shark known for that long, whip-like tail.