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Definition of nurse shark

nurse shark

Plural:nurse sharks
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nurse shark Lexical Profile

• noun

1

A bottom-dwelling, largely sluggish shark of the family Ginglymostomatidae, native to warm, shallow coastal waters of the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific oceans, characterized by sensory barbels near its mouth and a generally docile nature.

Example

"During our snorkeling trip in the Bahamas, we spotted a large nurse shark resting peacefully under a coral ledge."

• Nearby Words

nuorilang
nuphar
nuremberg
nurse shark
nut
nutcracker
nutella

Word Origin & Etymology

The name 'nurse shark' has uncertain origins; it may derive from the sucking sound they make while feeding, reminiscent of a nursing infant, or it could be a corruption of the Middle English word 'nusse', meaning cat shark.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Nurse shark. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/nurse shark
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