sleepmarken

English

Etymology

Unknown. Likely from Norwegian slepe (“drag”) + mark (“worm”). Attested from circa 1762; see quotations below.

Noun

sleepmarken

1. (uncommon) A hagfish, an eel-like marine fish, Myxine glutinosa.
   • 1762 October 9, Johan Ernst Gunnerus, “Letter addressed to Carl Linnaeus”, in The Linnaean Correspondence‎^[1], retrieved 4 January 2018:

     3. Myxine glutinosa ["slepmark" or "pirål" in Norwegian], which Gunnerus has dissected himself, and where he had clearly observed the difference between the sexes. [The article published by Gunnerus was, "Om sleep-marken"].

   • 2011 December 19, Jancuk Jaran, “Hagfish”, in All Animals‎^[2], retrieved 4 January 2018:

     Linné discussed the strange “lamprey” with Norwegian Bishop and naturalist Johan Ernst Gunnerus and they both classified it as a worm. In 1763, Gunnerus wrote about the creature and he then referred to it as a Sleep-Marken.

References

• “Sleepmarken”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.