marine creature
3
2.6
- noun
- /mɚˈin ˈkriːtʃər/
:
criatura marina
- Coral reefs provide shelter and food for a variety of marine creatures that rely on them for survival.
- other marine creatures
- tiny marine creatures
- many marine creatures
Examples
-
The azure waters and coral around Nungwi are home to scores of marine creatures.
Blog text (7) -
Some marine creatures camouflaged in their environment.
-
Another marine creature, armed with a mass of stinging cells, can be found sailing the warm oceans of the world...
-
Surrounding elements in the rock-art panel portray portions of fish and other marine creatures.
Academic text (2002) -
Crabs, eels, flounder, and other marine creatures wash in like so much flotsam.
Academic text (2006) -
Scores of marine creatures, including seabirds and turtles, are dying of starvation with their stomachs full of plastic.
Blog text (19) -
Unlike terrestrial animals, most marine creatures simply release their gametes into the sea, subjecting them to dilution and dispersal.
Academic text (1991) -
The ocean is home to many unique marine creatures that play essential roles in the ecosystem.
-
Some marine creatures, like dolphins and whales, are known for their intelligence and social behavior.
Synonyms
4
2.2
An animal that lives in the sea, like a fish or whale
1
1.0
A living thing that lives in the sea like a fish or whale
How Aquatic
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase is a straightforward composition of 'marine' (living in or associated with the sea) + 'creature' (an animal), so the combined meaning 'an animal that lives in the sea' is directly derivable from the constituents. This follows a common adjective+noun compositional pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand the MWE.
Etymology
Marine creature combines a word for the sea (marine) with a word for an animal (creature). So it gives the image of an animal in the sea and means 'an animal that lives in the sea'.