bagger, noun

/ˈbæɡə//ˈbɑːɡə/
Forms:
baager, bagreShow more Also baager, bagre, barga, barger, begger, pagger, and with initial capital.
Origin:
LatinShow more Probably from Latin pagrus bream, but see quotation 1731.
?obsolete
1. Any of several marine and estuarine fish species: barbel sense 2.
1731 G. Medley tr. of P. Kolben’s Present State of Cape of G.H. II. 210’Tis probable, that Pagger is a Derivative from the Latin Word Paco..for there is, on the Back of it, near the Head, a Sort of Horn or Prickle, of a poisonous Nature.
1801 J. Barrow Trav. I. 31The Bagre, a second species of Silurus, commonly caught in the bay, is considered as poisonous.
1802 Truter & Somerville in G.M. Theal Rec. of Cape Col. (1899) IV. 398We caught a fish in the river of about 3 feet 8 inches large, a large flat head somewhat like the bagger, and of a taste like the eel.
1804 R. Percival Acct of Cape of G.H. 44The bagre, a very bad species of fish, and supposed to be of a poisonous quality.
[1906 J.G. Scheuchzer tr. of E. Kaempfer’s Hist. of Japan I. 84Four fishermen came..with Hayes and Beggers on board of us...We bought none but dismissed them.]
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 42Bagger or Barger, Galeichthys foliceps. The appearance of this fish creates a prejudice against it; it is, however, of a delicate eel-like flavour.
1951 L.G. Green Grow Lovely 89The bagger, or barbel..tasted to Pappe like eel and deserved consideration in spite of its ugly appearance.
1967 E. Rosenthal Encycl. of Sn Afr. 100Cape Barger or Sea Barbel,..Common all round the South African coast.
1968 J.L.B. Smith High Tide 35There was the Bagger (barbel) much dreaded because it has a poisonous spine on the back of its head...One of the Governor’s slaves was stabbed in the hand while netting it at night.
2. Any of several freshwater fish species: barbel sense 3. Occasionally with a distinguishing epithet, as platkop bagger/ˈplatkɔp-/ [Afrikaans, plat flat + kop head], rock bagger.
1835 A. Smith Diary (1940) II. 160The bagre the same as that found in the Orange River inhabits the Marique; one, moderately large, caught today.
1878 T.J. Lucas Camp Life & Sport 197Perhaps one’s capture would be..a huge ‘Barga’ (evidently a Silurus), with its monstrous head adorned with bristling feelers..running up to twelve or fourteen pounds in weight.
1893 Trans. of S. Afr. Phil. Soc. VIII. i. p.xcviiiIt is universally known as the ‘Rock baager’, because, unlike its much larger, mud-loving congener, it chiefly haunts rocky spots.
1967 E. Rosenthal Encycl. of Sn Afr. 100Mud-barbel or Platkop Barger, The best-known South African river species north of Cape.
Any of several marine and estuarine fish species: barbel sense 2.
Any of several freshwater fish species: barbel sense 3. Occasionally with a distinguishing epithet, as platkop bagger/ˈplatkɔp-/ [Afrikaans, plat flat + kop head], rock bagger.
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bagel, nounn.baie, adjectiveadj. & adverbadv.
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