nurse shark

noun

Updated on: 22 Apr 2018

Definition of nurse shark

: any of various usually bottom-dwelling sharks (family Ginglymostomatidae) with barbels near the nostrils; especially : a large yellowish to grayish brown shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) of warm usually shallow coastal waters that is typically nonaggressive and rests often in groups on the sea floor during the day

See nurse shark defined for kids

Recent Examples of nurse shark from the Web

Yellowtail snapper, parrot fish, a nurse shark, and giant pink conch all thrive in the area’s coral reef.

— michaela trimble, Vogue, "Island Hopping in Cuba’s Remote Canarreos Archipelago, Home to Pristine Coral Reefs," 7 Apr. 2018
Other animals on the premises include nurse sharks, sting rays, and Green Sea turtles (oh, my).

— melissa minton, Teen Vogue, "Chief Flamingo Officer Wanted in the Bahamas," 13 Feb. 2018
Watch: Shark bites Florida man and will not let go Remarkable video has emerged from Florida of a man battling to remove a nurse shark from his body after being bitten.

— lisa gutierrez, kansascity, "Trump’s fear and loathing of sharks gives the ‘Resistance’ a new icon," 23 Jan. 2018
Check out the surprise and very rare nurse shark bite in the video and don’t forget the volume to hear the crunchhhh.

— char adams, PEOPLE.com, "Newlywed Films Terrifying Moment His Wife Is Attacked by Shark During Honeymoon," 12 Dec. 2017
Persistence paid off, however, and Nifong confirmed four separate instances in which an American alligator ate a lemon shark, a nurse shark, a bonnethead shark, and an Atlantic stingray.

— National Geographic, "Alligators Attack and Eat Sharks, Study Confirms," 20 Sep. 2017
The shark menu for gators includes the big but docile nurse shark, the yellow-hued lemon shark, which are about 11 feet at adulthood, and the bonnethead, a type of hammerhead shark that grows to about five feet.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "Many who got hurricane relief in Texas aren't sure Puerto Ricans should," 20 Oct. 2017
Safe in another state This nurse shark at the Gulf Specimen Marine Lab in Panacea, Florida, was one of the last to be evacuated from the facility.

— doug criss, CNN, "As Irma raged, Floridians stopped to take care of creatures great and small," 11 Sep. 2017
Scientists had to evacuate nurse sharks from the Gulf Specimen Marine Lab in Panacea, Florida.

— megan friedman, Country Living, "8 Incredible Ways Animals Were Rescued During Hurricane Irma," 11 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nurse shark.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.