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clingfish

American  
[kling-fish] / ˈklɪŋˌfɪʃ /

noun

plural

clingfish,

plural

clingfishes

  1. any fish of the family Gobiesocidae, having a sucking disk on the abdomen for clinging to stones, debris, etc.

clingfish British  
/ ˈklɪŋˌfɪʃ /

noun

  1. any small marine teleost fish of the family Gobiesocidae, having a flattened elongated body with a sucking disc beneath the head for clinging to rocks, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of clingfish

First recorded in 1890–95; cling 1 + fish

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

When the researchers pitted euthanized clingfish against eight manufactured suction cups, the fish held fast to eight materials ranging from glass to the grittiest sandpaper.

From Science Magazine • May 1, 2013

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.