oropesa

noun

or·​o·​pe·​sa

ˌȯrəˈpāsə

plural -s

: one of a pair of torpedo-shaped floats towed one on each side by a minesweeper at a fixed distance to suspend the ends of the steel rope used to tear submerged mines from their moorings

Word History

Etymology

from Oropesa, British trawler that first used it

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