remora
Meaning
A slender marine fish that attaches itself to larger fish, turtles, or ships using a sucker on its head.
An obstacle or hindrance.
Structure
Usage
The remora hitched a ride on the shark, feeding on scraps from its meals.
Sailors once regarded the remora as a creature of ill omen, fearing it could stall their vessels.
In the project, the legal dispute became a remora, slowing down all other progress.
Etymology
The word 'remora' entered English in the late 16th century directly from Latin, where it meant "delay" or "hindrance." This meaning was applied to the fish based on an ancient and medieval belief that it could attach itself to a ship's hull and slow or stop its progress. Thus, the literal morphemes "back" and "delay" combine to describe a creature thought to cause delay by holding something back. Over time, the primary meaning shifted to the fish itself and its unique biological adaptation, while the secondary sense of "obstacle" remains a direct reflection of its etymological roots.
Analysis
re: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "back" or "again." mora: Latin origin, meaning "delay" or "hindrance."