Illustration of remora
- remora 1
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: any of a family (Echeneidae) of marine bony fishes that have the anterior dorsal fin modified into a suctorial disk on the head by means of which they adhere especially to other fishes
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Also known as shark suckers or suckerfish, remoras are long, thin, dark fishes that are distributed throughout the world in warm seas. Ancient sailors believed remoras had the power to slow or even stop a ship by attaching themselves to it; the name remora, which means "delay" in Latin, arose from this ancient superstition. The poor remora’s reputation isn’t much better today. Even though remoras don’t harm their hosts, they are popularly thought of as unwanted guests who get a free ride and a free meal by way of the efforts of others. It is therefore common to see remora used metaphorically in such contexts as "hungry paparazzi who attach themselves like remoras to celebrities."
Examples of remora in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Think of it as the advertising version of the symbiotic relationship between sharks and their parasite-eating remora.
—
Jennifer Maas, Variety, 5 July 2024
One day a week of Stewart, then the other correspondents kind of circling Jordan Klepper like remora around a great white?
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2024
On its back, the turtle carried a neon remora, or suckerfish.
—Hannah Selinger, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2023
Lindsey Graham, the Senate’s remora, has become considerably craven now that he’s suckered himself onto Donald Trump’s body.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 26 Sep. 2022
The Jones family has mentioned finding a remora in the boat, suggesting this ray was trying to dislodge an unwanted passenger.
—al, 18 July 2022
Still, no one attached themselves, remora-like, to the mogul with more gusto than Zucker.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 2 Feb. 2022
Researchers Brooke Flammang, Jeremy Goldbogen and their teams found that the remora’s choice location is key to hanging on.
—Rachael Lallensack, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Dec. 2020
The second group basically latches on to the first like remora on a shark.
—Gene Weingarten, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2020
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Jennifer Maas, Variety, 5 July 2024
One day a week of Stewart, then the other correspondents kind of circling Jordan Klepper like remora around a great white?
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2024
On its back, the turtle carried a neon remora, or suckerfish.
—Hannah Selinger, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2023
Lindsey Graham, the Senate’s remora, has become considerably craven now that he’s suckered himself onto Donald Trump’s body.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 26 Sep. 2022
The Jones family has mentioned finding a remora in the boat, suggesting this ray was trying to dislodge an unwanted passenger.
—al, 18 July 2022
Still, no one attached themselves, remora-like, to the mogul with more gusto than Zucker.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 2 Feb. 2022
Researchers Brooke Flammang, Jeremy Goldbogen and their teams found that the remora’s choice location is key to hanging on.
—Rachael Lallensack, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Dec. 2020
The second group basically latches on to the first like remora on a shark.
—Gene Weingarten, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2020
Dictionary Entries Near remora
Cite this Entry
“Remora.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/remora. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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remora
noun
rem·o·ra
ˈrem-ə-rə 
: any of various marine fishes that have a suction disk on the top of the head by means of which they cling especially to other fishes
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