flounder

¹floun·der

noun \ˈflau̇n-dər\

plural flounder or flounders

Definition of FLOUNDER

: flatfish; especially : a marine fish of either of two families (Pleuronectidae and Bothidae) that include important food fishes

Origin of FLOUNDER

Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian flundra flounder

First Known Use: 15th century

Other Fishes Terms

char, chum, ichthyology, smelt, tetra, turbot

Rhymes with FLOUNDER

bounder, founder, grounder, hounder, pounder, rounder, sounder

²flounder

intransitive verb

floun·deredfloun·der·ing \-d(ə-)riŋ\

Definition of FLOUNDER

1

: to struggle to move or obtain footing : thrash about wildly

2

: to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually

Examples of FLOUNDER

1. The horses were floundering through the deep snow.
2. He was floundering around in the pool like an amateur.
3. After watching me flounder for a few minutes, my instructor took over.

Origin of FLOUNDER

probably alteration of founder

First Known Use: 1592

Related to FLOUNDER

Synonyms

blunder, bumble, flog [British], limp, lumber, plod, struggle, stumble, trudge

Antonyms

breeze, coast, glide, slide, waltz, whisk

Related Words

jog, shamble, shuffle; wallow, welter; falter, lurch, reel, stagger, sway, teeter, totter; fumble, muddle

Near Antonyms

coast, fly, glide, kilt, sail, zip, zoom

flounder

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Flounder (Platichthys)—F. Greenaway—Natural History Photographic Agency/EB Inc.

Any of about 300 species of flatfishes (order Pleuronectiformes). When born, the flounder is bilaterally symmetrical, with an eye on each side, and it swims near the sea's surface. After a few days, it begins to lean to one side, and the eye on that side migrates to what eventually becomes the top side. With this development comes changes in bones, nerves, and muscles, and the underside loses its colour. As an adult, the flounder lives on the sea bottom with the eyed side on top.