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Definition of sevengill shark
sevengill shark
Plural:sevengill sharks
sevengill shark Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
9
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
Any of several species of primitive sharks, primarily in the family Hexanchidae, characterized by having seven pairs of gill slits instead of the typical five.
Example
"The broadnose sevengill shark is an apex predator commonly found patrolling the kelp forests and shallow bays of the Pacific Ocean."
Word Nuance & Usage
The term is primarily used to distinguish this ancient lineage of sharks from modern sharks, which almost universally possess only five gill slits.
Word Origin & Etymology
A descriptive compound of 'seven' and 'gill' combined with 'shark', directly referencing the defining anatomical feature of this cartilaginous fish.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Sevengill shark. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/sevengill shark