mud shark
1
9.1
- noun
:
tiburón de barro
- The mud shark is often found in shallow waters.
Examples
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Local legends tell of a mysterious mud shark lurking in the murky lake.
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During their expedition, the team discovered several mud sharks near the delta.
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The fisherman was proud when he reeled in a large mud shark from the river.
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I saw a mud shark swimming near the riverbank.
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While fishing in the muddy river, we caught a large mud shark that surprised everyone with its unique colors.
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The mud shark is often found lurking in silty waters, making it a favorite catch for local anglers.
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In the brackish estuary, the mud shark swam gracefully, showcasing its distinctive appearance.
Synonyms
664
1.0
A large sea fish with sharp teeth that eats other animals
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound 'mud shark' is directly interpretable as a shark associated with muddy or silty waters; a B1 learner who knows 'mud' and 'shark' can infer it denotes a type of fish/shark from its constituents. Noun+noun compounding with a locative/qualifying first element is a transparent and cross-linguistically common pattern, so the meaning is predictable without prior exposure.
Etymology
Mud shark may come from a simple image: a fish that lives in muddy water, so people used mud, and because its shape or teeth reminded fishermen of a shark they added shark. That's why mud shark now means 'a fish found in muddy or silty waters' with a distinctive appearance.