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nurse shark
noun
: any of various usually bottom-dwelling sharks (family Ginglymostomatidae) with barbels near the nostrils
especially
: a large yellowish to grayish brown shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) of warm usually shallow coastal waters that is typically nonaggressive and rests often in groups on the sea floor during the day
Examples of nurse shark in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Some of the best options for divers and snorkelers are found off of Ambergris Caye, including the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley, teeming with docile nurse sharks.
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Melissa Locker, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2024
The most challenging catch of the day was an ample 6-foot nurse shark that Macdonald estimated to weigh 200 pounds.
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Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2024
Youngsters will love interacting with horseshoe crabs and starfish in the Tide Pool Touch Tank, petting the baby stingrays or even feeding the adult nurse sharks.
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Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024
Kids and adults alike will delight at all there is to see and do there – from dolphin and sea lion shows to nature tours and various animal exhibits featuring nurse sharks, sea turtles, crocadilians, even birds of prey.
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Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024
The Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center, on Hutchinson Island, fronts the Intracoastal Waterway and rehabilitates sea turtles, rays and nurse sharks, which swim in pretty lagoons fed by Indian River.
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Terry Ward, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Feb. 2024
The first catch is a two-meter-long, sandy-brown nurse shark.
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Brian Owens, Scientific American, 18 Oct. 2023
The nurse shark was stuck to the reef by a large fishing hook.
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Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 27 July 2023
No fatalities were reported in the next five species of biting sharks: blacktip reef shark, nurse shark, spinner shark, the bronze whaler and the lemon shark, according to the file.
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Camille Fine, USA TODAY, 13 June 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nurse shark.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
alteration of nusse
First Known Use
1851, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near nurse shark
Cite this Entry
“Nurse shark.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nurse%20shark. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
Kids Definition
nurse shark
noun
: a shark of warm waters that is active at night
More from Merriam-Webster on nurse shark
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nurse shark
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