remora

[rem-er-uh]

noun

1. any of several fishes of the family Echeneididae, having on the top of the head a sucking disk by which they can attach themselves to sharks, turtles, ships, and other moving objects.

2. Archaic.,  an obstacle, hindrance, or obstruction.

remora

/ ˈrɛmərə /

noun

1. any of the marine spiny-finned fishes constituting the family Echeneidae . They have a flattened elongated body and attach themselves to larger fish, rocks, etc, by a sucking disc on the top of the head

Word History and Origins

Origin of remora¹

1560–70; < Latin: literally, delay, hindrance, derivative of remorārī to linger, delay, equivalent to re- re- + morārī to delay

Word History and Origins

Origin of remora¹

C16: from Latin, from _re- + mora delay; an allusion to its alleged habit of delaying ships