Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Dwelling at or near the bottom of a body of water.
  • adjective Sinking to or deposited near the bottom of a body of water.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Having so great a specific gravity as to sink in water: said of fish-eggs.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective biology That lives near the sea bed and lake bed

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From Latin dēmersus, past participle of dēmergere, to sink : dē-, de- + mergere, to sink.]

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Examples

Comments

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  • Living at or near the sea floor but having the capacity for active swimming; e.g., flounder.

    May 29, 2007

  • Oh, a flounder's life is a wonderful life,

    A-lurkin' under the sea,

    I'd need no rehersal to be a demersal

    It's the life of a flounder for me!

    Oh, the life of a flounder for me!

    Oh, a flounder's life is a wonderful life,

    Your eyes are on top of your head,

    For lying quite hidden, then pouncing unbidden

    What a glorious life it would be!

    Oh, what a glorious life it would be!

    with apologies to pirates everywhere.

    May 29, 2007

  • Heehee! Thanks, trivet!

    May 29, 2007