shark
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shark¹
- /ʃɑːk/ UK
- /ʃɑɹk/ US
Sounds like shock (non-rhotic, father–bother merger) · Rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)k
Where it comes from
From Middle English shark (used by Thomas Beckington in 1442 to refer to a kind of fish), of uncertain origin. Most likely from a semantic extension of the German-derived shark (“scoundrel”), see below. The fish was originally called a dogfish or haye in English and Middle English. Its name in Old English is unknown, although some uses of the word hranfisċ that do not appear to carry the sense of "whale" may have been referencing it.
alternative theories
Some older dictionaries derived the word from Latin c(h)archarias, c(h)acharus (from Ancient Greek), but admit that "the requisite [Old French] forms intermediate between E. shark and L. carcharus are not found, and it is not certain that the name [shark] was orig. applied to the fish; it may have been first used of a greedy man".
Other older authorities speculated that the word might derive from Yucatec Maya xok (“fish”) (/ʃok/), as John Hawkins brought a specimen from the area where Mayan was spoken to England in the 1560s. However, the 1442 use rules out a New World origin for the word.
noun sharks · sharke
- Any predatory fish of the superorder Selachimorpha, with a cartilaginous skeleton and 5 to 7 gill slits on each side of its head. The straunge fishe is in length xvij. foote and iij. foote broad, and in compas about the bodie vj. foote; and is round snowted, short headdid, hauing iij. rankes of teeth on either iawe, …. Also it hath v. gills of eache side of the head, shoing white. Ther is no proper name for it that I know, but
- Meat of this animal, consumed as food. Shark has traditionally, although in some secrecy, been a staple food in European, American and Australian food.
- Any fish of the class Chondrichthyes, especially an extinct shark-like holocephalian. Cladoselache, a well-preserved Devonian shark fossil from Ohio. Here the cartilages and some muscle tissues are preserved intact
- Any fish in the genus Epalzeorhynchos.
- Any fish in the genus Balantiocheilos.
- An iridescent shark (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus).
- A roseline shark (Dawkinsia denisonii).
- A paroon shark (Pangasius sanitwongsei).
- A noctuid moth of species Cucullia umbratica.
- A university student who is not a fresher that has engaged in sexual activity with a fresher; usually habitually and with multiple people.
Similar: haye
verb sharks · sharking · sharked
- To fish for sharks.
- To engage in sexual activity with a fresher.
- To cruise for casual sex with a fresher at a bar or club.
shark²
- /ʃɑːk/ UK
- /ʃɑɹk/ US
Sounds like shock (non-rhotic, father–bother merger) · Rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)k
Where it comes from
From German Schurke (“scoundrel”); compare Dutch schurk.
noun sharks
- Someone who exploits others, for example by trickery, lies, usury, extortion. “[…] Churchill, my dear fellow, we have such greedy sharks, and wolves in lamb's clothing. Oh, dear, there's so much to tell you, so many warnings to give you, but all that must be postponed for the moment.”
- A sleazy and amoral lawyer.
- An ambulance chaser.
- A relentless and resolute person or group, especially in business. To the extent that shares of this company are traded in the stock exchange, and share prices are based on fundamentals and not on the speculative whims and fancies of irrational money sharks, its value on the stock market should equal V(0) in real terms, of P(0)V(0) in nominal terms.
- A person that excels in a particular field.
- A very good poker or pool player. Compare fish (a bad poker player).
-
A person who feigns ineptitude to win money from others.
Similar: hustler
verb sharks · sharking · sharked
- To steal or obtain through fraud. Shakespeare and others, Sir Thomas More (c. 1593) act 2, sc. 4: "Other ruffians...Would shark on you."
- To play the petty thief; to practice fraud or trickery; to swindle. Neither sharks for a cup or a reckoning.
- To live by shifts and stratagems. Ah Captaine, lay not all the fault upon Officers you know you can ſhark though you be out of action, witneſſe Montague.
shark³
- /ʃɑːk/ UK
- /ʃɑɹk/ US
Sounds like shock (non-rhotic, father–bother merger) · Rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)k
Where it comes from
Probably from the "steal" senses above, but perhaps related to shear. Compare shirk.
verb sharks · sharking · sharked
- To pick or gather indiscriminately or covertly. Fortenbraſſe […] Hath […] Sharkt vp a ſight of lawleſſe Reſolutes […]
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: moneylender, loan shark, usurer, blacktip, porbeagle, dogfish, fish, soupfin, mako, weasel, falcon, predator, psa, basking, smooth, great
noun
Similar: haye
Translations
Every language
noun fish
| Español | tiburón, escualo |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 상어 sang'eo |
| 日本語 | 鮫 same, サメ same |
| 中文 | 鯊魚 /鲨鱼 shāyú |
| हिन्दी | हाँगर hāṅgar, शार्क śārk |
| Kiswahili | papa |
| Português | tubarão, cação, escalho, escalo |
| Français | requin, squale |
| Deutsch | Hai, Haifisch |
| Italiano | squalo, pescecane |
| Ελληνικά | καρχαρίας karcharías |
| Română | rechin |
| Русский | аку́ла akúla |
| Tiếng Việt | cá mập, cá nhám |
| العربية | لُخْم luḵm, قِرْش qirš, سَمَكَةُ الْقِرْش samakatu l-qirš |
| עברית | כָּרִישׁ karísh |
noun person who feigns ineptitude
| Français | requin |
|---|
Talk about this word "shark." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/shark. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. shark. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/shark "shark." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/shark.Cite this
@misc{shark_2026,
title = {shark},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/shark},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
