rattail fish
- noun
- Specialized
:
pez cola de rata
- With its long, slender tail, the rattail fish is easily distinguished from other deep-sea creatures.
Examples
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The marine biologist discovered a rattail fish at a depth of 1,000 meters below the ocean surface.
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Look at that large rattail fish swimming gracefully!
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Several specimens of the rattail fish were displayed in the aquarium's deep-sea exhibit.
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The rattail fish is known for its unique appearance.
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The fishermen caught a rattail fish while deep-sea trawling in the Atlantic Ocean.
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Known for its distinctive appearance, the rattail fish is often found at depths exceeding 2,000 meters.
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During the exploration, researchers observed a rattail fish hovering just above the ocean floor.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A deep-sea fish with a large head, long thin body, and a tail that becomes thin
A deep-sea fish with a large head and a long tapering tail
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase simply names a type of fish by combining 'rattail' (a large-headed deep-sea fish with a long tail) with the general category 'fish', so the overall meaning — a fish that is a rattail — is directly compositional. This is a regular noun + noun naming pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent meanings would understand it.
Etymology
Rattail fish gets its name from the fish's shape: it has a large head and a long, thin tail that looks like a rat's tail. That's why the name means 'a fish with a long, thin tail'.