: either of the fins of a fish that correspond to the forelimbs of a quadruped
Examples of pectoral fin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebSeveral times, Whale B approached Whale A from behind and appeared to hold onto Whale A using its pectoral fins.—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Mar. 2024 Spotted in Mossel Bay, South Africa, the whale tore off the shark’s left pectoral fin, killing the animal in under two minutes.—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Mar. 2024 The healthier whale then held the other whale in place with its pectoral fins and began to penetrate the other whale.—Matt Lavietes, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024 Useful tip: When handling and cleaning catfish, be mindful of the three sharp, poisonous barbs located on the dorsal and pectoral fins.—Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 An alternative to this hold, as seen in the photo above, is to put a thumb firmly behind one pectoral fin with the other pectoral between the index and second finger.—Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 24 May 2023 The fish’s pectoral fins grew abnormally, and fluorescence appeared along both their leading and trailing edges, which showed that the skate’s enhancer was driving hoxa expression in both parts of the fin.—Viviane Callier, Quanta Magazine, 30 May 2023 Grip them around the back of the head placing your thumb and forefinger on the back side of each pectoral fin.—Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 24 May 2023 Make your first cut behind the pectoral fin or gill cover, angling the tip of the knife slightly toward the head.—Michael Stillwell, Popular Mechanics, 27 Mar. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pectoral fin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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