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

Example Sentences

The recovery of debris and bodies was made by a UAV called the Remora III, operated by a company called Phoenix International.

From The Daily Beast

The recovery of the debris and bodies was made by another vehicle, the Remora III, operated by Phoenix International.

From The Daily Beast

If this first worke bee throughly and throughoutly dispatched as I hope it is, the great Remora is removed.

From Project Gutenberg

Pliny assures us that the remora was used in the preparation of a philtre capable of extinguishing the flames of love.

From Project Gutenberg

The remora is easily removed from its attachment by a quick, sliding motion, but resists a direct pull to a remarkable degree.

From Project Gutenberg

The strain on the remora, however, was so demoralizing to its physical economy that I was fain to kill it.

From Project Gutenberg

There they were in a moment, among the old knights whom, if you remember, the Remora had frozen into stone.

From Project Gutenberg