shoal
UK: ʃəʊl | US: ʃoʊl
n. a large group of fish swimming together
n. a shallow place in a body of water; a sandbank or sandbar
v.i. (of fish) to form a shoal
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The word "shoal" traces back to Old English scolu (a troop or crowd of fish), likely derived from Proto-Germanic skulo. Its dual meanings—both a group of fish and a shallow underwater ridge—emerged independently. The "fish group" sense reflects collective movement, while the "shallow" meaning (influenced by Dutch schole or Low German schôle) evolved from the idea of submerged land "crowding" upward toward the surface.
A shoal of sardines darted past the coral reef.
The ship ran aground on a hidden shoal.
Fishermen waited for the herring to shoal near the coast.
The navigational chart marked dangerous shoals in red.
Dolphins often hunt by herding fish into tight shoals.