Grouper
/ˈɡruːpər/noun
Any of several large, heavy-bodied marine fish of the family Serranidae.
Did you know?The English word comes from Portuguese and Spanish fishing terms, and the fish was named for its habit of being grouped among similar large reef fish rather than from any mystical or ancient symbolic root.
Etymological Timeline
Early Modern Portuguese
Pt
garoupa
“A large food fish, especially a sea bass or grouper.”
Early Modern Spanish
Es
gropa
“A large fish; a regional fishing term.”
19th Century
English
grouper
“A large marine fish, especially one of the hind family.”
Modern English
English
grouper
“Any of several large reef-dwelling food fishes of the family Serranidae.”
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