dealfish

[deel-fish]

noun

plural

dealfishes ,

plural

dealfish .

1. a ribbonfish, especially Trachipterus arcticus.

dealfish

/ ˈdiːlˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. any deep-sea teleost fish of the genus Trachipterus, esp T. arcticus, related to the ribbonfishes and having a very long tapelike body and a fan-shaped tail fin

Word History and Origins

Origin of dealfish¹

First recorded in 1835–45; deal ² + fish

Example Sentences

Mediterranean dealfish: The species swims vertically and lets its nonfunctional tail fin drift behind.

From Scientific American

If the electric violet dome and delicate wisps of tissue look familiar, that is the point: the Mediterranean dealfish’s goal is to confuse prey into thinking it is a jellyfish.

From Scientific American