nurse shark
noun
: any of various usually bottom-dwelling sharks (family Ginglymostomatidae) with barbels near the nostrils
especially
: a large yellowish to grayish brown shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) of warm usually shallow coastal waters that is typically nonaggressive and rests often in groups on the sea floor during the day
Examples of nurse shark in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There are also over 400 species of sharks, including the tiger shark, bull shark, crocodile shark, leopard shark and nurse shark.
—
Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 12 July 2025
But in nurse sharks, researchers found that the pancreas contains structured clusters of immune cells called B cell follicles.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
And, brother, are there a lot of varieties — hammerhead shark, walking shark, whale shark, tawny nurse shark, pajama shark, pelagic thresher, tiger shark, tasselled wobbegong shark, puffadder shy shark, baby shark, mommy shark and daddy shark, to name but a few.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2025
The reef and the lagoon are known for their clear ocean waters, where visitors can experience close encounters with seven species of sharks, including bull sharks, tawny nurse sharks, grey reef sharks, and tiger sharks.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for nurse shark
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 12 July 2025
But in nurse sharks, researchers found that the pancreas contains structured clusters of immune cells called B cell follicles.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
And, brother, are there a lot of varieties — hammerhead shark, walking shark, whale shark, tawny nurse shark, pajama shark, pelagic thresher, tiger shark, tasselled wobbegong shark, puffadder shy shark, baby shark, mommy shark and daddy shark, to name but a few.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2025
The reef and the lagoon are known for their clear ocean waters, where visitors can experience close encounters with seven species of sharks, including bull sharks, tawny nurse sharks, grey reef sharks, and tiger sharks.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for nurse shark
Cite this Entry
“Nurse shark.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nurse%20shark. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share