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Definition of swellshark
swellshark
/ˈswɛl.ʃɑːrk/
swell · shark
Plural:swellsharks
swellshark Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
10
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A small, bottom-dwelling catshark of the genus Cephaloscyllium, native to the tropical and temperate waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, characterized by its ability to swallow water or air to inflate its stomach as a defense mechanism against predators.
Example
"When threatened by a larger predator, the swellshark quickly wedge itself into a rocky crevice and inflated its body with water, making it nearly impossible to extract."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for swellsharkWord Origin & Etymology
A compound of 'swell' and 'shark', named for the animal's unique defensive behavior of swallowing water or air to expand its body to twice its normal size.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Swellshark. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/swellshark