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spyhop

[ spahy-hop ]

/ ˈspaɪˌhɒp /

Animal Behavior

noun

a vertical half-rise out of the water performed by a whale in order to view the surroundings.
a springing bounce in tall grasses performed by certain land mammals, as foxes and wolves, to view the surroundings.

verb (used without object), spy·hopped, spy·hop·ping.

to perform such a rise or bounce.

Origin of spyhop

spy + hop¹

Words nearby spyhop

spy on, spy out, spy wednesday, spyglass, spyhole, spyhop, spymaster, spyri, spyware, spätlese, spätzle

Example sentences from the Web for spy-hopping

They have been reported pitchpoling (spy-hopping), lobtailing, and—rarely—breaching.

Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of the Western North Atlantic |Stephen Leatherwood