aalstreep
Dutch
Etymology
Compound of aal (“eel”) + streep (“line, stripe”); literally “line on the back of an eel” or “stripe resembling an eel”. Compare German Aalstreif and Aalstrich.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈaːl.streːp/
Audio (file) - Hyphenation: aal‧streep
Noun
aalstreep f (plural aalstrepen, diminutive aalstreepje n)
- A dark line along the length of the back of an animal, in particular an ungulate. [from 18th c.]
- 1769, Johann Le Francq van Berkhey, Natuurlyke historie van Holland, Vol. 4, Part 1, page 35.
- De zoogenaamde Muisvaale Paarden hebben zwarte staarten, benevens zwarte maanen, en een zwarten streep, dien de kenners den aalstreep noemen, over de rugstreng.
- The so called mousy grey horses have black tails, beside black manes, and a black stripe, that the experts call the eel stripe, over the spine of its back.
- 2004, Gilles Delaborde, "Fjordenpaard", Pony's en paarden, tr. by Wim Sanders, Biblion (publ.), page 8.
- De aalstreep is soms duidelijk afgetekend en de zwarte vlekken worden op de benen zebrastrepen.
- The dark dorsal line is sometimes clearly distinguishable and on the legs the black spots become zebra stripes.
- 1769, Johann Le Francq van Berkhey, Natuurlyke historie van Holland, Vol. 4, Part 1, page 35.