pilotfish

[ pahy-luht-fish ]

noun,plural (especially collectively) pi·lot·fish, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) pi·lot·fish·es.
  1. a small, marine fish, Naucrates ductor, often swimming with sharks.

  2. any of various other fishes having similar habits.

Origin of pilotfish

1
First recorded in 1625–35; pilot + fish

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use pilotfish in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for pilot fish

pilot fish

noun
  1. a small carangid fish, Naucrates ductor, of tropical and subtropical seas, marked with dark vertical bands: often accompanies sharks and other large fishes

  2. any of various similar or related fishes

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