sea horse
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A small marine fish of the genus Hippocampus, characterized by a head and neck that resemble those of a horse, a prehensile tail, bony plates covering its body, and the unique trait of the male carrying the fertilized eggs in a brood pouch.
- (Archaic or poetic) A mythical or heraldic creature with the head and forequarters of a horse and the tail of a fish.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- The sea horse anchors itself to seaweed with its tail to avoid being swept away by the current.
- We saw a tank full of colorful sea horses at the aquarium.
- (Archaic) The knight's shield was emblazoned with a sea horse, symbolizing mastery over land and sea.
Advanced Usage
- "Sea horse" in biology: The term is used specifically for members of the family Syngnathidae. Their unique reproductive strategy, where the male becomes pregnant, is a frequent subject of scientific study and popular science writing.
- The sea horse is often studied for its unusual reproductive biology.
Variants and Related Words
- Seahorse (noun): The more common modern spelling, often written as one word.
- The seahorse is a fascinating creature.
- Hippocampus (noun): The scientific genus name for sea horses.
- Syngnathidae (noun): The biological family that includes sea horses and pipefish.
Synonyms
- Hippocampus (scientific)
- (For the mythical creature) Hippocamp
Notes on Different Meanings
- The provided reference context incorrectly includes a definition for "walrus" ("large northern marine mammals having ivory tusks..."). This is not a correct meaning for "sea horse." The correct zoological definition is the small fish described above. The archaic meaning refers to a mythical hybrid creature.
Noun
- small fish with horse-like heads bent sharply downward and curled tails; swim in upright position
- either of two large northern marine mammals having ivory tusks and tough hide over thick blubber