marlin
UK[ˈmɑːlɪn]US[ˈmɑːrlɪn]
n
a large, fast-swimming fish of the open seas, related to the sailfish and spearfish, with a long, pointed upper jaw.
Etymology
the word 'marlin' is a 20th-century shortening of 'marlinespike', the name of a pointed tool used in sailing. the fish was humorously named for the resemblance of its long, spear-like snout to this implement. 'marlinespike' itself derives from the dutch word 'marlijn', meaning 'small rope', combined with 'spike'. ultimately, the term is a loanword where the original nautical reference was transferred to describe a distinctive physical feature of the fish, a common pattern in the naming of animal species.
Analysis
this word is a simplex loanword and cannot be meaningfully segmented into productive morphemes within modern english spelling.
Examples
the angler proudly displayed the massive blue marlin he caught off the coast.
marlin are highly prized as both a sport fish and a culinary delicacy.
its distinctive dorsal fin cut through the water as the marlin leaped into the air.