needlefish

[ need-l-fish ]

noun

, plural (especially collectively) nee·dle·fish, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) nee·dle·fish·es.

1. any fish of the family Belonidae, of warm seas and coastal fresh waters, having a sharp beak and needlelike teeth.
2. a pipefish.

needlefish

/ ˈniːdəlˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. any ferocious teleost fish of the family Belonidae of warm and tropical regions, having an elongated body and long toothed jaws
2. See pipefish
   another name for pipefish

Word History and Origins

Origin of needlefish¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; needle + fish

Example Sentences

Trailed along the surface of the water beneath kites, these worm-shaped lures attract strikes from needlefish—whose narrow mouths make them impossible to catch with hooks.

From Popular-Science