bonnethead

American  

[bon-it-hed] / ˈbɒn ɪtˌhɛd /

noun

1. a hammerhead shark, Sphyrna tiburo, found in shallow waters from Brazil to Massachusetts, having a spade-shaped head. heads.

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Etymology

Origin of bonnethead

An Americanism dating back to 1875–80; bonnet + head

Example Sentences

Smaller hammerhead species such as the scalloped bonnethead, scoophead, and Pacific bonnethead have been devastated by overfishing, leaving so few that researchers struggle to find or study them.

From Science Daily • Nov. 8, 2025

Researchers at the University of Florida collected, imaged, and stained embryos of various stages from a small hammerhead species, the bonnethead shark, which were being studied for other reasons.

From Science Magazine • Oct. 4, 2023

This is often reported in captive animals, including the bonnethead shark, where animals are kept in single-sex enclosures.

From Scientific American • Jun. 9, 2023

The menus lean toward seafood, which is no surprise, given the proximity of the Gulf; a specialty in Campeche is pan de cazon, a combination of corn tortillas, habanero sauce and bonnethead shark.

From Washington Post • Apr. 1, 2022

“They look pretty fierce but they are somewhat docile,” Sarasota Mayor Richard Clapp said of the bonnethead sharks, which eat crustaceans and small fish, not politicians.

From New York Times • Mar. 22, 2010