Krill

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /kɹɪl/

Definitions

1. A small, shrimp-like marine creature that forms a vital part of the ocean food chain as prey for various marine species
2. A type of zooplankton that plays a crucial role in the diet of many larger animals, such as whales and seals
3. A bioluminescent organism often found in large swarms, contributing significantly to aquatic ecosystems and serving as an important food source in polar regions

Etymology: Krill is one of the few English words borrowed from a fishing community rather than from scholars. The Norwegian word "krill" originally meant the fry of fish, the tiny young fish that swarm near the surface in great numbers. Norwegian fishermen applied the term to these shoals, and English adopted it for the small crustaceans that gather in similar dense masses in the sea. The meaning shifted in an instructive way. The Norwegian sense was about the young of fish, a stage of life, while the English sense is about a different animal altogether: a shrimp-like crustacean, not a fish at all. What carried over was the image of a dense, glittering swarm, which is exactly why the word suited the creatures that feed whales, seals and penguins in polar waters.

Synonyms: plankton, zooplankton, small crustaceans, shrimp-like creatures, marine invertebrates