remora
/ˈrɛmərə
/noun
A slender marine fish which attaches itself to large fish by means of a sucker on top of the head. It generally feeds on the host’s external parasites. Also called shark-sucker, suckerfish.
- Family Echeneidae: several genera and species, in particular the widespread Remora remora.
- Large remoras may attach themselves to turtles and act as cleaners, removing various external parasites.
- Those days were great for snorkeling and we saw all sorts of sea life, including sharks and spotted eagle rays complete with remoras.
Origin
Mid 16th century: from Latin, literally 'hindrance', from re- 'back' + mora 'delay' (because of the former belief that the fish slowed down ships).
Rhymes
- convict settlement
- convict station
- convict system
- convince
- convinced
- convincer
- convincible
- convincing
- convincingly
- convivial
- conviviality
- convivially
- convo
- convocation
- convocational
- convoke
- convolute
- convoluted
- convolutedly
- convolutedness
- convolution
- convolutional
- convolution integral
- convolve
- convolvulus