wobbegong

noun

wob·​be·​gong

ˈwäbēˌgäng

plural wobbegongs

: carpet shark

especially : any of various bottom-dwelling carpet sharks (family Orectolobidae) found mainly in the western Pacific Ocean and having a flattened body with intricate mottled patterns on the skin, a broad head, and long barbels near the nostrils

Take a trip to the treasured waters of the Great Barrier Reef … for a peek at such tropical sharks as blacktip reef sharks and wobbegongs, a carpet shark named for its bold, tapestry-like markings.

—Sarah Sekula, USA Today, 30 July 2010

Word History

Etymology

native name in New South Wales

First Known Use

1852, in the meaning defined above

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