remora

See also: Remora and rémora

English

WOTD – 21 November 2018

Etymology

A common remora (Remora remora), a species of remora (sense 1)

A view of the suction disc on a remora (sense 1)

The coat of arms of Viscount Scarsdale features, on the dexter side (the viewer’s left), the figure of Prudence holding a javelin entwined with a remora (sense 2) or serpent

Borrowed from Latin remora (“delay, hindrance, passive resistance”), from the belief that the fish would attach themselves to ships and slow them down, from re- (prefix meaning ‘back, backwards’) + mora (“delay”) (from Proto-Indo-European *mere (“to delay, hinder”), from *(s)mer- (“to fall into thinking, remember; to care for”)).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɹɪˈmɔːɹə/, /ˈɹɛməɹə/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɹiˈmɔɹə/, /ˈɹɛməɹə/
• Hyphenation: re‧mo‧ra

Noun

remora (plural remora or remorae or remoras)

1. Any of various elongate fish from the family Echeneidae, the dorsal fin of which is in the form of a suction disc that can take a firm hold against the skin of larger marine animals. [from mid 16th c.]

   Synonyms: echeneid, echeneidid, sharksucker, suckerfish, suckfish, (obsolete) suckstone

   • 1832, “Room XI. General Collection of Fish and Corals.”, in Synopsis of the Contents of the British Museum, 26th edition, London: Printed by G[eorge] Woodfall, […], →OCLC, page 86:

     The Remoræ (Echeneisidæ) form the last family of the soft-finned, subbrachian fishes. They are characterized at once by the top of their heads being flattened, and furnished with transverse series of cartilaginous plates, somewhat similar to the plates under the toes of the Gecko, by which these fish attach themselves to ships, rocks, and marine bodies.

   • 1839, P. Evers, “On the Muscular System in the Vertebrata. [Pisces.]”, in The Student’s Compendium of Comparative Anatomy (Dunglison’s American Medical Library), Philadelphia, Pa.: Printed and published by A. Waldie, […], →OCLC, page 42:

     The remora, lump-sucker, and others are provided with a muscular disk in the form of a sucker, by which they adhere to other fish or bodies moving through the water: [...]

   • 1866, Philip Abraham, “Forest Glinton. A Character, from Life.”, in Autumn Gatherings, being a Collection of Prose and Poetry. Sacred and Secular, London: Published by and for the author, […], →OCLC, pages 99–100:

     [...] I could not but notice, with some degree of curiosity, the gradual approaches of one of these remorae of society into the good graces of as genuine an English family as ever left the fat fields of Suffolk to pay for peeping at foreign novelty.

   • 2012, Christopher Mac Lairn, “Vulturnus”, in The Spirit of Vengeance, [Bloomngton, Ind.]: Xlibris, →ISBN, page 53:

     It was all genuine footage of various kinds of ray-fish: first a manta gliding just below the surface of a purple sea near the coast of Argentina. He glided there amongst the light beams that penetrated the water like daggers stabbing into it, while remorae skirted among his wing-fins.

   • 2018, Dagmar Fertl, André M. Landry, “Remoras”, in Bernd Würsig, J. G. M. Thewissen, Kit M. Kovacs, editors, Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals, 3rd edition, London, San Diego, Calif.: Academic Press, →ISBN, page 793, column 1:

     The tenacity with which remoras attach to their hosts is best illustrated by the practice of sea turtle fishing by fishermen in the Caribbean and off China and northern Australia [...], and in Yemen and Kenya, where it continues to this day. A fisherman ties a line around the tail of a remora and throws the fish into the water. The remora tightly attaches itself to a turtle, and the remora and its "catch" are then hauled ashore.

2. (heraldry) A serpent.
   • 1766 July 23, [Edward] Kimber, “Barons”, in The Peerage of England. […], volume 60, London: Printed for H[enry] Woodfall, […], →OCLC, page 217:

     LORD SCARSDALE. [...] On the dexter ſide, the figure of Prudence repreſented by a woman, habited argent, mantled azure, holding in her ſiniſter hand a javelin entwined with a remora proper; [...]

3. (obsolete) A delay; a hindrance, an obstacle.
   • 1605, Francis Bacon, “The Second Booke”, in The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the Proficience and Aduancement of Learning, Diuine and Humane, London: […] [Thomas Purfoot and Thomas Creede] for Henrie Tomes, […], →OCLC, folios 29, recto – 29, verso:

     For to ſay [...] That the ſolidneſſe of the Earth is for the ſtation and Manſion of liuing creatures: and the like, is well inquired & collected in METAPHISICKE, but in PHISICKE they are impertinent. Nay, they are indeed but Remoraes and hinderances to ſtay and ſlugge the Shippe from furder ſayling, and haue brought this to paſſe, that the ſearch of the Phiſicall Cauſes hath beene neglected.

   • 1643, William Prynne, “The Soveraigne Power of Parliaments & Kingdomes. […]”, in The Soveraigne Power of Parliaments and Kingdomes: […], London: […] Michael Sparke Senior, →OCLC, page 29:

     [H]is Majeſty, long ſince weary of the yoke of all Parliaments, (the only Remora to his abſolute intended Monarchy) and repenting of the Act for continuing this, [...] is now reſolved (in proſecution of his priſtine Counſels) by force or policy to diſſolve this Parliament in diſcontent, [...]

   • 1644, J[ohn] M[ilton], chapter VIII, in The Doctrine or Discipline of Divorce: […], 2nd edition, London: [s.n.], →OCLC, book I, page 20:

     What mighty and inviſible Remora is this in Matrimony able to demurre, and to contemne all the divorſive engines in heaven or earth.

   • 1848, Charles Hastings, Robert J. N. Streeten, “CONSTIPATION”, in Robley Dunglison (reviser), edited by John Forbes, Alexander Tweedie, and John Conolly, The Cyclopædia of Practical Medicine: […] In Four Volumes, volumes I (Abdomen–Emmenagogues), Philadelphia, Pa.: Lea and Blanchard, →OCLC, paragraph 4, page 480, column 2:

     Increased tone of the muscular fibres of the middle coat of the intestines may not infrequently give rise to a remora in the passage of their contents, and the effect of many of that class of medicines called astringents appears to be owing to their tonic powers.

   • 1855, “Report on the Diseases of Missouri and Iowa”, in The Transactions of the American Medical Association, volume VIII, Philadelphia, Pa.: Printed for the [American Medical] Association, by T. K. and P. G. Collins, →OCLC, page 103:

     The local remoræ of blood which occur in cholera infantum here, will not bear, as a general practice, the abstraction of blood for their relief; they are more under the control of revellent remedies, not of a depletive kind.

4. (obsolete, surgery) A surgical instrument, intended to retain parts in their places.
   • [1833, Robley Dunglison, “Rem′ora”, in A New Dictionary of Medical Science and Literature, […], volumes II (M–Z), Boston, Mass.: […] [E. W. Metcalf and Company] for Charles Bowen, →OCLC, page 429, column 1:

     Rem′ora [...] The name of two surgical instruments, intended to retain parts in situ. The one was used, formerly, in castration, to prevent the intestines from protruding at the inguinal ring: the other, called Rem′ora Hilda′ni, (F[rench]) Arrêt d'Hildan, εχενηις, was employed to retain fractures and luxations reduced. It is not now used.]

Hyponyms

• (fish): pegador, swordfish sucker, whalesucker

Related terms

• Remora
• remorate

Translations

elongate fish from the family Echeneidae

• Arabic:

  Libyan Arabic: قلفاط

• Bulgarian: прилепало n (prilepalo)
• Catalan: rèmora (ca) f
• Cebuano: remora, kumi
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 鮣／䲟 (zh) (yìn)

• Finnish: remora
• German: Schiffshalter m
• Ido: remoro (io)
• Italian: remora (it) f
• Japanese: コバンザメ (kobanzame)
• Polish: podnawka (pl) f, remora (pl) f, trzymonaw (pl) m, trzymonawka f, tarczygłów m, ssacz m
• Portuguese: rémora f (Portugal), rêmora (pt) f (Brazil)
• Russian: прилипа́ла (ru) f (prilipála)
• Spanish: rémora (es) f
• Tagalog: parikit-bangka
• Telugu: మట్ట (te) (maṭṭa)

(heraldry) serpent

• Bulgarian: змия (bg) f (zmija)

delay; hindrance, obstacle — see also delay,‎ hindrance

• Catalan: rèmora (ca)
• Spanish: rémora (es) f

surgical instrument

Further reading

• remora on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• Marero, roamer

Cebuano

Etymology

Borrowed from English remora, borrowed from Latin remora (“delay, hindrance, passive resistance”).

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: re‧mo‧ra

Noun

remora

1. a remora; any of various elongate brown fish from the family Echeneidae, the dorsal fin of which is in the form of a suction disc that can take a firm hold against the skin of larger marine animals

Finnish

Etymology

From translingual Remora.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈremorɑ/, [ˈre̞mo̞rɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -emorɑ
• Syllabification^(key): re‧mo‧ra

Noun

remora

1. remora (fish)

Declension

Inflection of remora (Kotus type 11/omena, no gradation)
nominative		remora	remorat
genitive		remoran	remorien remoroiden remoroitten
partitive		remoraa	remoria remoroita
illative		remoraan	remoriin remoroihin
		singular	plural
nominative		remora	remorat
accusative	nom.	remora	remorat
	gen.	remoran
genitive		remoran	remorien remoroiden remoroitten remorojenrare remorainrare
partitive		remoraa	remoria remoroita remorojarare
inessive		remorassa	remoroissa remorissa
elative		remorasta	remoroista remorista
illative		remoraan	remoriin remoroihin
adessive		remoralla	remoroilla remorilla
ablative		remoralta	remoroilta remorilta
allative		remoralle	remoroille remorille
essive		remorana	remoroina remorina
translative		remoraksi	remoroiksi remoriksi
abessive		remoratta	remoroitta remoritta
instructive		—	remoroin remorin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of remora (Kotus type 11/omena, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative remorani remorani accusative nom. remorani remorani gen. remorani genitive remorani remorieni remoroideni remoroitteni remorojenirare remorainirare partitive remoraani remoriani remoroitani remorojanirare inessive remorassani remoroissani remorissani elative remorastani remoroistani remoristani illative remoraani remoriini remoroihini adessive remorallani remoroillani remorillani ablative remoraltani remoroiltani remoriltani allative remoralleni remoroilleni remorilleni essive remoranani remoroinani remorinani translative remorakseni remoroikseni remorikseni abessive remorattani remoroittani remorittani instructive — — comitative — remoroineni remorineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative remorasi remorasi accusative nom. remorasi remorasi gen. remorasi genitive remorasi remoriesi remoroidesi remoroittesi remorojesirare remoraisirare partitive remoraasi remoriasi remoroitasi remorojasirare inessive remorassasi remoroissasi remorissasi elative remorastasi remoroistasi remoristasi illative remoraasi remoriisi remoroihisi adessive remorallasi remoroillasi remorillasi ablative remoraltasi remoroiltasi remoriltasi allative remorallesi remoroillesi remorillesi essive remoranasi remoroinasi remorinasi translative remoraksesi remoroiksesi remoriksesi abessive remorattasi remoroittasi remorittasi instructive — — comitative — remoroinesi remorinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative remoramme remoramme accusative nom. remoramme remoramme gen. remoramme genitive remoramme remoriemme remoroidemme remoroittemme remorojemmerare remoraimmerare partitive remoraamme remoriamme remoroitamme remorojammerare inessive remorassamme remoroissamme remorissamme elative remorastamme remoroistamme remoristamme illative remoraamme remoriimme remoroihimme adessive remorallamme remoroillamme remorillamme ablative remoraltamme remoroiltamme remoriltamme allative remorallemme remoroillemme remorillemme essive remoranamme remoroinamme remorinamme translative remoraksemme remoroiksemme remoriksemme abessive remorattamme remoroittamme remorittamme instructive — — comitative — remoroinemme remorinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative remoranne remoranne accusative nom. remoranne remoranne gen. remoranne genitive remoranne remorienne remoroidenne remoroittenne remorojennerare remorainnerare partitive remoraanne remorianne remoroitanne remorojannerare inessive remorassanne remoroissanne remorissanne elative remorastanne remoroistanne remoristanne illative remoraanne remoriinne remoroihinne adessive remorallanne remoroillanne remorillanne ablative remoraltanne remoroiltanne remoriltanne allative remorallenne remoroillenne remorillenne essive remorananne remoroinanne remorinanne translative remoraksenne remoroiksenne remoriksenne abessive remorattanne remoroittanne remorittanne instructive — — comitative — remoroinenne remorinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative remoransa remoransa accusative nom. remoransa remoransa gen. remoransa genitive remoransa remoriensa remoroidensa remoroittensa remorojensarare remorainsarare partitive remoraansa remoriaan remoroitaan remoriansa remoroitansa remorojaanrare remorojansarare inessive remorassaan remorassansa remoroissaan remorissaan remoroissansa remorissansa elative remorastaan remorastansa remoroistaan remoristaan remoroistansa remoristansa illative remoraansa remoriinsa remoroihinsa adessive remorallaan remorallansa remoroillaan remorillaan remoroillansa remorillansa ablative remoraltaan remoraltansa remoroiltaan remoriltaan remoroiltansa remoriltansa allative remoralleen remorallensa remoroilleen remorilleen remoroillensa remorillensa essive remoranaan remoranansa remoroinaan remorinaan remoroinansa remorinansa translative remorakseen remoraksensa remoroikseen remorikseen remoroiksensa remoriksensa abessive remorattaan remorattansa remoroittaan remorittaan remoroittansa remorittansa instructive — — comitative — remoroineen remorineen remoroinensa remorinensa

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈrɛ.mo.ra/
• Rhymes: -ɛmora
• Hyphenation: rè‧mo‧ra

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

remora f (plural remore)

1. hesitation, scruple
2. remora (fish)

Anagrams

• armerò, ormare, ormerà, ramerò