soft-finned

[ sawft-find, soft- ]

/ ˈsɔftˈfɪnd, ˈsɒft- /

adjective Ichthyology.

having fins supported by articulated rays rather than by spines, as a malacopterygian.

QUIZZES

Discover The Influence Of Portuguese On English Via This Quiz!

We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?

Question 1 of 11

Which of the following bird names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?

owl

crow

piranha

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Words nearby soft-finned

soft-boiled, soft-centred, soft-coated wheaten terrier, soft-core, soft-cover, soft-finned, soft-focus lens, soft-headed, soft-hearted, soft-land, soft-pedal

Origin of soft-finned

First recorded in 1765–75

British Dictionary definitions for soft-finned

soft-finned

adjective

(of certain teleost fishes) having fins that are supported by flexible cartilaginous raysSee also malacopterygian Compare spiny-finned

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012