John Dory

American  

[dawr-ee, dohr-ee] / ˈdɔr i, ˈdoʊr i /

noun

• John Dories
  plural

1. any fish of the family Zeidae, especially Zeus faber, of European seas, having a vertically compressed body and long spines in the dorsal fin.

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John Dory British  

/ ˈdɔːrɪ /

noun

1. a European dory (the fish), Zeus faber , having a deep compressed body, spiny dorsal fins, and massive mobile jaws

2. a related fish, Zeus australis , which is a valued food fish of Australia

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• John Dories
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of John Dory

1600–10; see dory ²; jocular formation

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

John Dory

Their open-faced toasts are great — their John Dory Tuna Toasts are always delicious.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2025

Fitted snugly to one side of the former Del Posto, the narrow restaurant space that was once John Dory is now a pizzeria: Mel’s, the first restaurant of a new food complex here.

From New York Times ● Mar. 8, 2022

The accompaniments are equally straightforward, such as sesame and radish for the scallops, soy and parsley for the fluke, and olive oil and lemon for the black bass, John Dory and flounder.

From Washington Post ● May 15, 2019

Mr Moon will eat a baked John Dory sea fish that is commonly served in his hometown, the South Korean port city, Busan.

From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2018

John Dory and Peter Ruff first of all handed over their captive, who was now calm and apparently resigned, to the two policemen who were still on duty in the Court.

From Peter Ruff and the Double Four by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim

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