ENGLISH
REFERENCE

flounder

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈfɫaʊndɝ// UK //flˈaʊndɐ// floun·der

n. a flat, round fish that lives on the bottom of the sea. It has both eyes on one side of its head and moves by flapping its wide body.

n. a flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae, characterized by a flattened body and both eyes located on the same side of the head. Often used as a food source in various cuisines.


SIMPLE

The chef grilled a fresh flounder for dinner.

CONTEXTUAL

We caught a large flounder while fishing in the shallow waters of the bay.

COMPLEX

The local market specializes in sustainable seafood, offering a variety of fresh flounder caught using traditional, low-impact methods that protect the ocean floor.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English flowndre, from Anglo-Norman floundre, from Old Northern French flondre, from Old Norse flyðra, from Proto-Germanic *flunþrijǭ. Cognate with Danish flynder, German Flunder, Swedish flundra.

Etymology 2

Possibly from the noun. Probably a blend of flounce + founder or a blend of founder + blunder or from Dutch flodderen (“wade”). See other terms beginning with fl, such as flutter, flitter, float, flap, flub, flip.

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