‖ sparus
(ˈspɛərəs)
Pl. spari (ˈspɛəraɪ).
[L., ad. Gr. σπάρος. For Anglicized forms see spar n.8 and spare n.3]
A sea-bream or gilt-head.
Formerly also applied to many different fishes in some way resembling these.
| 1668 Wilkins Real Char. ii. v. §5. 138 Gilt-Head, Sea-bream, Sparus. 1752 J. Hill Hist. Anim. 252 The silvery-eyed, red Sparus. Ibid. 253 The reddish Sparus,..the Sea-bream. 1753 Chambers' Cycl. Suppl. s.v., Of the spari some have acute and cylindric teeth. 1777 G. Forster Voy. round World II. 171 They also brought..a fine well-tasted sparus ready dressed in leaves. 1803 Shaw Gen. Zool. IV. ii. 403 Silvery-blueish Sparus, with gold-coloured brows. Ibid. 407 Yellowish Sparus. 1836 Yarrell Brit. Fishes I. 111 The four-toothed Sparus, dentex vulgaris. |