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You are here: Home / Language / How did the Remora get its name and Where does the word “Remora” come from?

How did the Remora get its name and Where does the word “Remora” come from?

July 15, 2020 by Karen Hill

The strange fish called the Remora, which attaches itself to moving objects by a curious sucking-disk along the top of its head, was known to ancient Roman navigators.

The fish would attach itself to the bottoms or sides of their slow-moving sailing vessels, and it was believed that they acted as a drag to the vessel, holding it back or even stopping its progress.

It was for that reason that the Romans gave it the name remora, which means that which holds back, a delayer.

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Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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