Meanings
nounlanternshark (plural lanternsharks)
plural lanternsharks · alternative lantern shark
- Any dogfish shark of the genus Etmopterus, or more widely, the family Etmopteridae.
A variety of features distinguish blackbelly lanternsharks from the other lanternsharks. These include the arrangement and number of their denticles, and subtle differences in fin size and coloration.
1997, Leighton R. Taylor, Sharks and Rays, page 192
Origin
From lantern (“referring to their light-producing photophores”) + shark.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
lanternshark. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lanternshark
MLA
“lanternshark.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lanternshark. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lanternshark,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lanternshark.
Source: lanternshark on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.