blackfish

[ blak-fish ]

noun

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

1. any of various dark-colored fishes, as the tautog, Tautoga onitis, or the black sea bass, Centropristes striata.
2. a small, freshwater food fish, Dallia pectoralis, found in Alaska and Siberia, noted for its ability to survive frozen in ice.
3. black whale.

blackfish

/ ˈblækˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. a minnow-like Alaskan freshwater fish, Dallia pectoralis , related to the pikes and thought to be able to survive prolonged freezing
2. See redfish
   a female salmon that has recently spawned Compare redfish
3. any of various other dark fishes, esp the luderick, a common edible Australian estuary fish
4. See pilot whale
   another name for pilot whale

Word History and Origins

Origin of blackfish¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1680–90; black + fish

Example Sentences

In April 2014, SeaWorld put up a Facebook post, “69 Reasons You Shouldn’t Believe Blackfish,” that linked to a 32-page analysis of the film’s supposed inaccuracies.

From Outside Online

To this day, multiple SeaWorld employees who have seen the film suggest to me that Blackfish barely scratches the surface.

From The Daily Beast

Mike Barnett of Freeport, Long Island is busy catching striped bass and blackfish.

From The Daily Beast

Other fishes are bottom feeders, as the blackfish and the sea bass, living almost entirely upon mollusks and crustaceans.

From Project Gutenberg

Wakening before the others, Raven went to the creek and made three pairs of fishes: sticklebacks, graylings, and blackfish.

From Project Gutenberg

Boatmen and deep-sea men report these blackfish to be dangerous and had better be left alone.

From Project Gutenberg

It was decided to try for blackfish off the rocks beyond Sokennet the next morning.

From Project Gutenberg

The fishermen were beginning to haul in weakfish and an occasional tautog, or blackfish.

From Project Gutenberg