Until the 16th century, [8] sharks were known to mariners as "sea dogs". [9] This is still evidential in several species termed "dogfish," or the porbeagle.The etymology of the word shark is uncertain. The most likely etymology states that the original sense of the word was that of "predator, one who preys on others" from the Dutch schurk, meaning 'villain, scoundrel' (cf. …