speareye

noun

variants or speareye shark

: a small coastal shark (Mustelus punctulatus) of the south Atlantic and Indian oceans that is grayish brown dotted with black

Word History

Etymology

modification (influenced by English spear, eye) of Afrikaans spierhaai, from spier muscle, blade (from Middle Dutch; akin to Old English spīr blade) + haai shark, from Middle Dutch haey

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!