grouper

¹ American  

[groo-per] / ˈgru pər /

noun

• grouperer,
  plural
• groupers
  plural

1. any of various sea basses of the family Serranidae, especially of the genera Epinephelus and Mycteroperca, of tropical and subtropical seas.

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grouper ² American  

[groo-per] / ˈgru pər /

noun

1. a member of a group, as of tourists.

2. Slang. a member of a group of usually young and single persons who rent and share a house or apartment, as at a summer resort.

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grouper British  

/ ˈɡruːpə /

noun

1. a variant of groper

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• grouperer
  plural
• groupers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of grouper¹

First recorded in 1680–90, grouper is from the Portuguese word garupa, of uncertain origin

Origin of grouper²

First recorded in 1930–35; group + -er ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

grouper groupers

Pina said the expedition's scientists were also disappointed to find few larger specimens of fish like grouper, snapper and sharks even on Cuban reefs that appeared otherwise healthy.

From Reuters ● Sep. 1, 2023

In our southernmost state, lionfish wreak havoc on the food supply of native fish like grouper and snapper and their overconsumption of herbivorous fish results in damage to the reefs that line the Florida coast.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2023

Just outside the kitchen, under photographs of celebrities that have previously dined here, including actors, athletes, and television personalities, Tavares tells us that muqueca with grouper is the restaurant’s most popular item.

From National Geographic ● Jul. 17, 2023

The collapse of white grouper has attracted the attention of international organizations, which have sought to use improved data collection to help bring back the fish.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 5, 2023

Right away I got a couple of decent mangrove snappers, and Dad caught a fat keeper grouper.

From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen

If the reefs collapse, so will some bigger fish stocks, like tuna and groupers.

From Salon ● Nov. 21, 2024

In 2021, he was awarded the grand prize for capturing a trio of groupers in the act of spawning.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2023

While many coral reef residents, such as groupers and moray eels, work together when hunting for their mutual benefit, the trumpetfish’s sneaky shadowing of larger fish seems to be solely for its own benefit.

From New York Times ● Aug. 7, 2023

The groupers are another population of generally slow-growing fishes that, in the Caribbean, includes a number of species that are at risk of extinction from overfishing.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

After these we found bass, of which we took eight, weighing from six to ten pounds each; also three fine groupers, the largest twelve pounds.

From Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science Volume 12, No. 33, December, 1873 by Various