shark

¹ American  

[shahrk] / ʃɑrk /

noun

1. any of a group of elongate elasmobranch, mostly marine fishes, certain species of which are large, voracious, and sometimes dangerous to humans.

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idioms

1. jump the shark, to begin a decline in quality, popularity, relevance, etc., after reaching a peak.

   Some TV shows have jumped the shark once a popular cast member left the show.

shark ² American  

[shahrk] / ʃɑrk /

noun

1. a person who preys greedily on others, as by cheating or usury.

2. Informal. a person who has unusual ability in a particular field.

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verb (used with object)

1. Archaic. to obtain by trickery or fraud; steal.

verb (used without object)

1. Archaic. to live by shifts and stratagems.

shark ¹ British  

/ ʃɑːk /

noun

1. a person who preys on or victimizes others, esp by swindling or extortion

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verb

1. archaic to obtain (something) by cheating or deception

shark ² British  

/ ʃɑːk /

noun

1. any of various usually ferocious selachian fishes, typically marine with a long body, two dorsal fins, rows of sharp teeth, and between five and seven gill slits on each side of the head

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Other Word Forms

• sharklike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of shark¹

First recorded in 1560–70; origin uncertain

Origin of shark²

1590–1600; < German dialect Schork, variant of Schurke rascal

Explanation

A shark is a large, carnivorous fish — although it's hard to calmly think, "That's just a large fish" when you run into a shark while you're swimming in the ocean. Almost all sharks live in the ocean, and while most of them are predators, the very largest sharks feed on plankton and tiny things like fish eggs. There are over four hundred species of shark, but only four have ever harmed humans; nevertheless, people have been afraid of these large, powerful animals for a long time. This dislike gave rise to the informal meaning of shark, "a person who swindles or preys on others."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

shark

One of the best-known shark content creators is Ocean Ramsey, a 38-year-old former model who shot to fame in 2019 after she was pictured swimming with one of the largest great white sharks ever seen.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

The shark made a few circles, its fins at times breaching the water’s surface as stunned fishermen looked on.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026

She spoke to the BBC from a boat in Hawaii, where she runs "Dive with Ocean" shark tours for paying customers.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

A confluence of factors has made water temperatures in the area unusually warm, said University of California San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography shark specialist Brendan Talwar.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026

A man with wideset eyes like a hammerhead shark nibbles on his bioloaf.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

Related Words

• astute
• cagey
• canny
• crafty
• farsighted
• ingenious
• judicious
• keen
• penetrating
• perceptive
• probing
• prudent
• sensible
• sharp
• slick
• sly
• smart
• wily
• wise