nageoire

French

Etymology

From nager (to swim) +‎ -oire.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /na.ʒwaʁ/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Audio (France (Lyon)):(file)

Noun

nageoire f (plural nageoires)

  1. fin (of fish)
  2. flipper (of dolphin, seal, walrus etc.)

Usage notes

The word nageoire is used to describe non solid fins such as the flipper of a dolphin or the side fins of a tuna, whereas solid fins located on the back of a shark or a dolphin are called ailerons. For non solid back fins (tuna), the term nageoire dorsale is used instead.

Derived terms

Further reading