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Glite Dictionary
cichlid fish

cichlid fish

7.0
A colorful freshwater fish from warm regions that people often keep in fish tanks
  • noun
  • /ˈsɪklɪd fɪʃ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : pez cíclido
  • Do you know what a cichlid fish is?

Examples

  • The waters of Lake Malawi are home to hundreds of species of cichlid fish.

  • Some types of cichlid fish are cultivated as a food source in certain parts of Africa.

  • Many aquarium enthusiasts enjoy keeping cichlid fish because of their bright colors and unique behavior.

  • The cichlid fish swam gracefully in the aquarium.

  • Aquarists often choose cichlid fish for their vibrant colors and interesting behaviors.

  • Many cichlid fish species are known for their complex social structures in a tank.

  • In many tropical regions, cichlid fish are also a popular source of food.

Synonyms

cichlid
vscichlid fish
  • Specialized
2 9.6

A fish that lives in fresh water and is often kept in aquariums for its bright colors

is identical in meaning but uses the longer form to be explicit

Surface Forms

cichlid fish singular
cichlid fishes plural

Morphology

cichlid + fish

The meaning is fully compositional: 'cichlid' names a particular family of tropical freshwater fish and 'fish' denotes the vertebrate, so combining them simply specifies a type of fish. This follows standard noun + noun type-specification patterns (cross-linguistically common), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can derive the meaning.

Etymology

Cichlid fish are named for a family of 'freshwater' fish known for bright colours and strong family care: many parents carry their eggs and young in their mouths to protect them. So, cichlid fish today refers to those colorful aquarium fish famous for this protective behaviour.