Flounder

Pronunciation: /flaʊndər/

Definitions of flounder

noun a state of confusion or bewilderment

Example Sentences

A1 I saw a flounder swimming in the ocean.

A2 The flounder was camouflaged against the sandy ocean floor.

B1 The fisherman caught a flounder while out at sea.

B2 The flounder's eyes are located on one side of its body.

C1 The chef prepared a delicious flounder dish with lemon and herbs.

C2 Marine biologists study the behavior of flounders in their natural habitat.

verb to struggle or stumble awkwardly

Example Sentences

A1 I flounder when I try to speak Spanish.

A2 She floundered through the interview due to nervousness.

B1 The new employee floundered with the complex software at first.

B2 Despite his experience, he floundered in the high-pressure situation.

C1 The politician floundered during the debate, unable to answer tough questions.

C2 The CEO floundered in his decision-making, causing the company to suffer major losses.

Grammatical Forms of flounder

• past tense: floundered
• plural: flounders
• comparative: more floundering
• superlative: most floundering
• present tense: flounder
• future tense: will flounder
• perfect tense: have floundered
• continuous tense: is floundering
• singular: flounder
• positive degree: flounder
• infinitive: to flounder
• gerund: floundering
• participle: floundering

Origin and Evolution of flounder

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'flounder' is believed to have originated from the Middle English word 'floundren' or 'flunderen', which is thought to be related to the Old Norse word 'flydra', meaning to flap.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'flounder' has retained its original meaning of struggling or moving awkwardly, but it has also come to be associated with the flatfish of the genus Platichthys, known for their distinctive flounder-like appearance and behavior.