bluefish

American  

[bloo-fish] / ˈbluˌfɪʃ /

noun

plural

bluefish,

plural

bluefishes

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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Etymology

Origin of bluefish

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

Example Sentences

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

Something, an expert agreed, had bitten the surfer, but it was strongly suggested that a bluefish might have been responsible.

From Slate • Sep. 1, 2022

When the bluefish were running and he’d caught enough, he was known to fire up his smoker and soak the blues in a closely guarded, top-secret brine that won awards at Martha’s Vineyard agricultural fairs.

From Washington Post • Jan. 6, 2022

Or kuromutsu, the Japanese bluefish, with its rich meat and purplish tint.

From New York Times • Aug. 31, 2021

They fished for a while longer and caught a bluefish, but they let it go.

From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn