goldfish

American  

[gohld-fish] / ˈgoʊldˌfɪʃ /

noun

goldfish, plural goldfishes plural

1. a small, usually yellow or orange fish, Carassius auratus, of the carp family, native to China, bred in many varieties and often kept in fishbowls and pools.

2. garibaldi.

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goldfish British  

/ ˈɡəʊldˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. a freshwater cyprinid fish, Carassius auratus, of E Europe and Asia, esp China, widely introduced as a pond or aquarium fish. It resembles the carp and has a typically golden or orange-red coloration

2. any of certain similar ornamental fishes, esp the golden orfe See orfe

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• goldfish
  plural
• goldfishes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of goldfish

First recorded in 1690–1700; gold + fish

Explanation

A goldfish is a small, freshwater member of the carp family. If you have a pet that swims around in a glass bowl, chances are good it's a goldfish. Although goldfish are named for their brilliant golden color, they've been carefully bred for thousands of years to look that way. Their original carp ancestors were silvery-gray, with the occasional gold mutation. During China's Tang dynasty, they were often kept in ponds; after being put into small containers indoors, goldfish evolved to their smaller size. They can grow much larger when they're released in the wild, and goldfish are considered an invasive species in many parts of the world today.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

goldfish goldfishes

The study, titled "Invasive goldfish trigger a regime shift in experimental lake ecosystems of varying trophic state," used large outdoor freshwater mesocosms designed to mimic real world lake conditions.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 26, 2026

So far, agency staff have caught 15 goldfish while a child caught another, and they are hoping the remaining four can be removed from the lake.

From BBC ● May 10, 2026

Like every year, Tehran’s Tajrish Square was crammed with stalls piled high with hyacinth, garlic and sprouts, while some featured mini-pools holding tiny goldfish, all traditional elements of the haft-sin.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 24, 2026

One of the features of a culture with the brains of a goldfish is that it also has the memory of a goldfish.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 27, 2026

Then Mr. Clifton gave us all another goldfish cracker, and asked us again.

From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

I came here to ask you about plants suitable for goldfishes in a vase.

From John Gayther's Garden and the Stories Told Therein by Stockton, Frank Richard

The prettiest object in the saloon was a tiny fountain, which threw up its feathery jet through the counter, and sparkled down again into an oval basin, or lakelet, containing several goldfishes.

From The Blithedale Romance by Hawthorne, Nathaniel

Hilma looked at the goldfishes through her tears.

From The Octopus : A story of California by Norris, Frank

Now it chanced that Lord Lossie himself was in the garden, and, caught also by the rain while feeding some pet goldfishes in a pond, betook himself to the same summer house, following Malcolm.

From Malcolm by MacDonald, George

I've never herded humming birds or drilled goldfishes in close formation, but I'd take the job cheerfully.

From At Good Old Siwash by Fitch, George