fortescue

noun

for·​tes·​cue

ˈfȯrtəˌskyü

variants or less commonly fortescure

-yu̇r

or fortesque

-yü

plural -s

: an Australian scorpion fish (Centropogon australis) having along the back venomous erectile spines capable of inflicting painful wounds

called also forty-skewer, scorpion

Word History

Etymology

alteration (influenced by the proper name Fortescue) of forty-skewer

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