English Explanatory Dictionary

flounder

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A European species of flatfish having dull brown colouring with reddish-brown blotches; fluke, European flounder (Platichthys flesus).
  2. Any of various flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae or Bothidae.
  3. A bootmaker's tool for crimping boot fronts.
verb
  1. To act clumsily or confused; to struggle or be flustered.
  2. To flop around as a fish out of water.
  3. To make clumsy attempts to move or regain one's balance.
  4. To be in serious difficulty.

Pronunciation

/ˈflaʊ̯ndəː/ /ˈflæʊ̯ndəː/ /ˈflaːndəː/ /ˈflaʊ̯ndɚ/ en-us-flounder.ogg /ˈflæʊ̯ndɚ/ /ˈflaːndɚ/

Word forms

flounder flounders floundering floundered

Etymology

From Middle English flowndre, from Anglo-Norman floundre, from Old Northern French flondre, from Old Norse flyðra, from Proto-Germanic *flunþrijǭ. Cognate with Danish flynder, German Flunder, Swedish flundra.

Synonyms

faulter

Related words

flail

Derived words

armless flounder arrowtooth flounder Baltic flounder barfin flounder blackback flounder blackfin flounder black flounder California flounder craig flounder diamond flounder eel-back flounder European flounder flounder house flounderlike flounderling flowery flounder fourspot flounder four-spotted flounder Georges Bank flounder gray flounder grey flouder great flounder greenback flounder Gulf flounder left-eyed flounder olive flounder peacock flounder peppered flounder pole flounder righteye flounder sand flounder southern flounder starry flounder summer flounder water flounder windowpane flounder winter flounder witch flounder yellowtail flounder flounderer flounderingly flounderish
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