remora

UK: /ˈrɛmərə/ US: (rem′ər ə)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

rem•o•ra  (rem′ər ə), n. 

1. Fish any of several fishes of the family Echeneididae, having on the top of the head a sucking disk by which they can attach themselves to sharks, turtles, ships, and other moving objects.
2. [Archaic.] an obstacle, hindrance, or obstruction.

• Latin: literally, delay, hindrance, derivative of remorārī to linger, delay, equivalent. to re- re- + morārī to delay
• 1560–70

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

remora / ˈrɛmərə/ noun

1. any of the marine spiny-finned fishes constituting the family Echeneidae. They have a flattened elongated body and attach themselves to larger fish, rocks, etc, by a sucking disc on the top of the head

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin, from re- + mora delay; an allusion to its alleged habit of delaying ships