butterfish

[buht-er-fish]

noun

plural

butterfishes ,

plural

butterfish .

1. a small, flattened, marine food fish, Peprilus triacanthus, of Atlantic coastal waters of the United States, having very small scales and smooth skin.

2. the rock gunnel. gunnel1

butterfish

/ ˈbʌtəˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. an eel-like blennioid food fish, Pholis gunnellus , occurring in North Atlantic coastal regions: family Pholidae (gunnels). It has a slippery scaleless golden brown skin with a row of black spots along the base of the long dorsal fin

2. Also called: greenbone.  marari. an edible reef fish, Coridodax pullus , of esp S New Zealand. It has a slippery purplish-grey to olive-green skin and is often found browsing on kelp

Word History and Origins

Origin of butterfish¹

First recorded in 1665–75; butter + fish

Example Sentences

"It was hard to come in and eat dinner after a day of watching puffin after puffin coming in with butterfish for a chick," research assistant Alyssa Eby said.

Read more on Salon

Steamed managatsuo, a firm, lean Japanese butterfish that sits in a shallow bath of ponzu and is topped with an angry-red ball of spicy grated daikon, may be followed by sea urchin.

Read more on New York Times

The fishing grounds where Jung Kuenbae and his forbears have caught shrimp, butterfish and croakers for three generations are going to be turned into the world’s largest offshore wind farm.

Read more on Seattle Times

The puffins are trying to feed their young butterfish instead, but they are unable to swallow them.

Read more on The Guardian

Tan: We both concluded that the butterfish was the best thing we had.

Read more on Seattle Times