zebrafish

American  

[zee-bruh-fish, zeb-ruh-] / ˈzi brəˌfɪʃ, ˈzɛb rə- /

noun

plural

zebrafishes,

plural

zebrafish

1. a small, slender freshwater fish, Brachydanio rerio, having luminous bluish-black and silvery-gold horizontal stripes: popular in home aquariums.

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Etymology

Origin of zebrafish

First recorded in 1765–75; zebra + fish

Example Sentences

To investigate, the researchers turned to zebrafish embryos, which develop quickly and also contain large, yolk rich cells during early stages.

From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2026

It works effectively in mice and zebrafish, supports recordings that last for hours, and does not require any external light source.

From Science Daily • Dec. 19, 2025

He sees consolation in zebrafish gathering around a distressed tankmate, for example, and generosity in lab rats choosing to forgo immediate treats to free a trapped colleague, sometimes sharing the food afterward.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 13, 2025

The study, conducted on zebrafish, is published in Nature Communications.

From Science Daily • Dec. 4, 2024

The study was conducted on zebrafish, an animal model that exhibits strong similarities to human heart rate and overall cardiac function.

From Science Daily • Dec. 4, 2024