purse-seine
UK[ˈpɜːs seɪn]US[ˈpɜːrs seɪn]
n
A large fishing net that is hung vertically in the water and can be closed like a purse at the bottom to trap fish.
Morpheme Breakdown
purse
seine
purse
a bag for money
seine
a fishing net
Etymology
The compound term 'purse-seine' is a modern descriptive name for a specific fishing technology. The first element, 'purse', alludes to the net's unique function of being drawn closed at the bottom, much like the drawstrings of a traditional money bag. The second element, 'seine', is an ancient word for a fishing net, traceable through Old English to Latin and ultimately to the Greek sagḗnē. The combination logically describes a seine net with a pursing mechanism, a design innovation that allows an entire school of fish to be encircled and then captured by closing the bottom of the net.
Analysis
Structure: purse (a bag for money) + seine (a fishing net)
- purse: From Old English purs, a small bag for money, ultimately from Medieval Latin bursa (bag, pouch).
- seine: From Old English segne, a fishing net, from Latin sagēna, from Greek sagḗnē (a large fishing net).
Examples
The tuna were caught using a large purse-seine net.
Purse-seine fishing can be highly efficient but requires careful management to avoid bycatch.
The fishermen deployed the purse-seine in a wide circle around the shimmering school of sardines.