biskop, noun

/ˈbəskɔp/
Forms:
Also biscop.
Plurals:
usually unchanged.
Origin:
Afrikaans, DutchShow more Afrikaans, etymology dubious: perhaps ‘bishop’, see quotation 1913, or adaptation of Dutch beestkop, see quotation 1930 (sense 1); see also poenskop.
1. Either of two species of seabream: a. The black musselcracker (see musselcracker sense 2), Cymatoceps nasutus. b. The white musselcracker (see musselcracker sense 2), Sparodon durbanensis. Cf. sense 2.
[a1827 D. Carmichael in W.J. Hooker Botanical Misc. (1831) II. 267The common and the red Steinbrassen, the Boskop, the Hottentot fish, the Roman fish.]
1902 J.D.F. Gilchrist in Trans. of S. Afr. Philological Soc. XI. iv. 227 (Pettman)Biscop, Poeskop. Chrysophrys sp.
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 60Biscop,..A variety of Chrysophrys. The name is supposed to have reference to the curiously grave appearance which the large head and peculiar facial features of this fish give to it.
1923 S. Afr.: Land of Outdoor Life (S.A.R. & H.) 240The biskop is the prince of winter fish round and about the Cape Peninsula, and as long as it is played on light sporting tackle with fair methods it has no rival aspirant to that rank.
1930 C.L. Biden Sea-Angling Fishes 257‘Biskop’ is the fishermen’s corruption of the very old Dutch name ‘beestkop’, meaning animal- or beast-head.
1951 L.G. Green Grow Lovely 91Other fish based on the same ribald principles were the biskop and the fransmadam, the latter an ugly customer with large black eyes.
1971 Argus 4 June 10The musselcracker or biskop is inclined to shake the bait once or twice before taking it.
2. With distinguishing epithet designating a particular species of biskop:
black biskop, blou biskop [Afrikaans, blou blue], blue biskop, the black musselcracker (see musselcracker sense 2), Cymatoceps nasutus;
white biskop, the white musselcracker (see musselcracker sense 2), Sparodon durbanensis.
1930 C.L. Biden Sea-Angling Fishes 262When an angler lands his first large black biskop he is so impressed with the huge, bluntly-shaped, almost human head that he stands aghast at this extraordinary creature.
1945 H. Gerber Fish Fare 51Musselcrackers or Biskops. These fish are greatly prized by anglers as game fighting fish. The White kind goes up to..64 lbs and the black or blou biskop to about 120 lbs.
1930 C.L. Biden Sea-Angling Fishes 259False Bay netters sometimes find a few large biskop in their hauls...Boatmen seldom catch the white biskop out at sea, for it is essentially a rock or surf anglers fish.
1990 [see stompkop].
The black musselcracker (see musselcracker sense 2), Cymatoceps nasutus.
The white musselcracker (see musselcracker sense 2), Sparodon durbanensis.
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bishop-bird, nounn.bisley, nounn.
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