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bowfin

bowfin

9.9
A long freshwater fish from North America with a long back fin often found in slow, weedy water
  • noun
  • /ˈboʊfɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : bowfin
  • With Charlie Wilbur handling the engines on the Bowfin, there was nothing to worry about.
  • bowfin and gar
  • bowfin, bass

Examples

Synonyms

grindle
vsbowfin
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A long freshwater fish with a very long top fin that eats other fish

focuses more on its primitive bony nature rather than habitat detail
dogfish
vsbowfin
  • Specialized
1 8.7

A long thin freshwater fish with a very long fin that eats other fish

is the specific North American species rather than a general common name
finfish
vsbowfin
1 3.4

A fish with fins, not a shellfish

is a single long-bodied freshwater species found in North America
Amia calva
vsbowfin
  • Specialized
9.9

A long freshwater fish from North America that eats other animals and has a long back fin

is the common name used instead of the scientific label

Surface Forms

bowfin singular
bowfins plural

Morphology

bowfin = bow + fin (transparent) = bow + fin

The compound is a transparent combination of 'bow' + 'fin' referring to a fish with a bow-shaped fin, so learners who know the components can infer the basic meaning.

Etymology

Bowfin comes from the English parts bow, meaning 'curve', and fin, meaning a fish's fin. The fish has a long, curved back fin like a bow, so the name helps you remember this long-bodied freshwater fish.