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

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Etymology

Origin of shark¹

First recorded in 1560–70; origin uncertain

Origin of shark²

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

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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

"It's really rare these days for people to come together," said Kim Joo-eun, who came to see the shark with her two nieces.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

"She brought so much fun with her. But she should go and live her normal shark life."

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

Although that is much slower than an Olympic swimmer, who can travel up to 65 body lengths per minute, it is comparable to the swimming pace of a cow shark moving leisurely through the ocean.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2026

The shark -- nicknamed "Bukhangi" by fans -- was first spotted in the artificial waterway in the southeastern port city of Busan last month, with environmental activists linking its appearance to climate change.

From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026

The shark rushed forward again and opened her jaws and snapped them around the robot.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown

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Related Words

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

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