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Definition of moray eel
moray eel
Plural:moray eels
moray eel Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
6
Tier
2
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
Any of numerous predacious marine eels of the family Muraenidae, typically found hiding in the crevices of coral reefs in tropical and subtropical oceans, characterized by a lack of pectoral fins, tough scaleless skin, and a large mouth with sharp teeth.
Example
"While scuba diving near the coral reef, we spotted a large moray eel extending its head from a rocky crevice."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for moray eelWord Origin & Etymology
The word 'moray' comes from the Portuguese 'moreia', derived from the Latin 'muraena' and the Greek 'muraina', referring to a kind of eel. 'Eel' derives from the Old English 'ǣl', of Germanic origin.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Moray eel. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/moray eel