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Glite Dictionary
genus Mola

genus Mola

9.9
A very large ocean fish with a flat, round body called sunfish
  • noun
  • /ˈdʒɛnəs ˈmoʊlə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : género Mola
  • The genus Mola includes some of the heaviest bony fish in the world.

Examples

  • Scientists classified the ocean sunfish under the genus Mola.

  • The genus Mola includes the giant ocean sunfish.

  • Members of the genus Mola are best known for their distinctive, flattened bodies.

  • Did you know that genus Mola is known for its large size?

  • The genus Mola includes some of the heaviest bony fish in the world.

  • Members of the genus Mola are best known for their distinctive, flattened bodies.

  • Scientists classified the ocean sunfish under the genus Mola.

Surface Forms

genus Mola singular
genera Mola plural

Morphology

genus + mola

This is a compositional taxonomic phrase: 'genus' (a biological rank) + 'Mola' (the name of a large fish) straightforwardly yields 'the genus named Mola, the group of species that includes that fish.' The meaning follows standard scientific naming patterns found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can reasonably infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Genus Mola comes from the Latin word Mola, which means a 'millstone'. Sunfishes are heavy, round and flat like a millstone, so scientists used Mola as the name, and today genus Mola refers to this group of large ocean sunfishes.