Definition of hammerhead in English:

noun

• 1A shark of tropical and temperate oceans that has flattened blade-like extensions on either side of the head, with the eyes and nostrils placed at or near the ends.

  Family Sphyrnidae and genus Sphyrna: several species

  Example sentences

  • ‘There are four species which concern us, and they are the hammerhead shark, the white shark, the bull whaler shark and the tiger shark.’
  • ‘See her, in Medea, remember the hammerhead shark, play with a cigarette, remind her listeners that their tape is running out, and obsess about another, very different Billie (Holiday).’
  • ‘Climate change has pushed up water temperatures, resulting in regular sightings of the smooth hammerhead shark, which is not dangerous to humans.’
  • ‘Whales, dolphins, enormous groupers, turtles, whale sharks, manta rays, great whites, hammerheads - they all play a starring role in attracting divers to worldwide destinations.’
  • ‘We hooked much bigger fish than we landed and I think sharks are a possibility here, probably hammerheads and sand sharks.’

• 2

  another term for hamerkop

  Example sentences

  • ‘The Hottentot people of southern Africa believe that the hammerhead, a wading bird, can see reflections of the future in pools of water.’
  • ‘Hammerheads are, overall, rather interesting and extraordinary birds.’