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Glite Dictionary
pond-skater

pond-skater

7.0
An insect that moves across the surface of water without sinking
  • noun
translation icon : patinador de agua
  • Children watched as a pond-skater darted across the quiet surface of the lake.

Examples

  • Several pond-skaters glided smoothly on the pond after the rain stopped.

  • The pond-skater is fascinating to watch.

  • The delicate legs of the pond-skater allow it to stay afloat on the water.

  • Look at the pond-skater gliding across the water!

  • The pond-skater glided effortlessly across the surface of the pond.

  • We watched a pond-skater as it maneuvered delicately over the water.

  • A pond-skater can often be seen during the summer, skating gracefully on calm waters.

Synonyms

water strider
vspond-skater
  • US
1 5.8

An insect with long legs that walks on water

is slender and describes the ability to stay on the surface rather than speed
water skater
vspond-skater
6.2

An insect with long legs that moves quickly across the surface of water

focuses on slender build and the ability to move without naming the supporting force
Gerris
vspond-skater
  • Specialized
9.9

A small insect with long legs that walks on the surface of water

is the common general description rather than a specific scientific genus
common pond-skater
vspond-skater
5.6

An insect that walks on the surface of ponds and still water

is the broader term for similar insects without specifying species or habitat
Gerridae
vspond-skater
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of insects that walk on the surface of water

is the everyday descriptive term rather than a scientific family label

Surface Forms

pond-skater singular
pond-skaters plural

Morphology

pond-skater = pond + skater (transparent) = pond + skater

The meaning is a directly compositional compound: an entity that 'skates' on a 'pond', so learners who know the components can infer the sense.

Etymology

Pond-skater breaks into pond ('a small lake') and skater (from skate, 'to move smoothly'). Like an ice skater, a pond-skater seems to 'skate' across the water with its long legs, so it can move on the surface without sinking.