bluefish

American  

[bloo-fish] / ˈbluˌfɪʃ /

noun

• bluefish,
  plural
• bluefishes
  plural

1. a predaceous, marine, bluish or greenish food fish, Pomatomus saltatrix, inhabiting Atlantic coastal waters of North and South America.

2. any of various fishes, usually of a bluish color.

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bluefish British  

/ ˈbluːˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. Also called: snapper. a predatory bluish marine percoid food and game fish, Pomatomus saltatrix , related to the horse mackerel: family Pomatomidae

2. any of various other bluish fishes

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• bluefish
  plural
• bluefishes
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of bluefish

An Americanism dating back to 1615–25; blue + fish

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bluefish

Menhaden are, Jackson announced, “the most important fish in the sea. They’re the linchpin that converts phytoplankton into a biomass that brings striped bass, bluefish, porpoises, tuna, and whales around.”

From Slate ● Feb. 4, 2024

For instance, water quality along Long Island has improved in recent years, letting bluefish and bunker fish flourish and increasing the odds that predators like sharks will seek them out.

From Washington Times ● Aug. 10, 2023

Appetizers like croquettes, sardine toasts, smoked bluefish rillettes or a terrine can be followed by larger plates like roast chicken.

From New York Times ● Sep. 21, 2021

He pointed out a box of bluefish at another stand: “Now, these blues? Not so great. They look a little mushada to me . . . . A little soft.”

From The New Yorker ● Aug. 1, 2019

From the menu the bellboy brought him he selected a luxurious breakfast—broiled bluefish, hominy, French toast, and hot black coffee.

From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers

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