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Glite Dictionary
foxface fish

foxface fish

9.8
A tropical sea fish with a long snout, black and yellow stripes, and sharp spines for defense
  • noun
: pez cara de zorro
  • Many aquarists keep a foxface fish in their saltwater tanks for its striking coloration.

Examples

  • The foxface fish uses its sharp spines for protection against predators.

  • A foxface fish can help control algae growth in a marine aquarium.

  • The foxface fish is known for its vibrant colors.

  • Many aquarists love keeping foxface fish in their tanks.

  • A foxface fish can help control algae growth in a marine aquarium.

  • Many aquarists keep a foxface fish in their saltwater tanks for its striking coloration.

  • The foxface fish uses its sharp spines for protection against predators.

Synonyms

rabbitfish
vsfoxface fish
  • Specialized
1 7.4

A tropical fish with a face like a rabbit that lives near coral reefs

is a specific species with an elongated snout and bold black and yellow markings

Surface Forms

foxface fish singular
foxface fishes plural

Morphology

foxface + fish

The name is compositional: 'foxface' denotes a fox-like face (fox + face) and 'fish' names the animal, so the compound denotes a fish with a fox-like face. Even if 'foxface' as a single lexical item is rare, a B1 learner who knows 'fox', 'face', and 'fish' can readily infer this descriptive meaning; animal names formed by visible resemblance are cross-linguistically common and therefore highly transparent.

Etymology

Foxface fish gets its name from the fish's long snout and bold black-and-yellow markings that make its head look like a fox's face, so the name refers to a tropical sea fish with a fox-like face.