nurse shark

noun

1. any of several sharks of the family Orectolobidae, especially Ginglymostoma cirratum, occurring in shallow waters from Rhode Island to Brazil and the Gulf of California to Ecuador.

nurse shark

noun

1. any of various sharks of the family Orectolobidae, such as Ginglymostoma cirratum of the Atlantic Ocean, having an external groove on each side of the head between the mouth and nostril

Word History and Origins

Origin of nurse shark¹

First recorded in 1850–55; allegedly so called because the male habitually hangs on to the female's fin with his teeth

Word History and Origins

Origin of nurse shark¹

C15: nusse fisshe (later influenced in spelling by nurse ), perhaps from division of obsolete an huss shark, dogfish (of uncertain origin) as a nuss

Example Sentences

Because nurse sharks have such tough skin, I use a mallet to tap the tag into the cartilage at the base of the dorsal fin.

From Scientific American

Scientists have known nurse sharks have used the waters off the Tortugas as a breeding ground since at least the late 19th century, but the question of whether the sharks returned to the area lingered.

From Seattle Times

In 1984, she helped campaign to make the grey nurse shark the first protected shark species in the world.

From New York Times

On the roof above the reef, Anna Garcia, holding a blue and white target shaped like a football, lowers herself into the water on a mechanical platform and calls out for Mikey the nurse shark.

From Washington Times

A beachgoer in Florida was recently bitten by a nurse shark — and he appeared to be completely unbothered by that fact, according to a video that has gone viral.

From Fox News