goldfish

American  

[gohld-fish] / ˈgoʊldˌfɪʃ /

noun

plural

goldfish,

plural

goldfishes

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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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

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

To make eating fun, we serve them chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs and crackers shaped like goldfish.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

The one-page note, addressed to the head housemaid at Royal Lodge in Windsor, includes drawings of dogs, horses and young children and asks if "the birds are well, and the goldfish haven't died".

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

Inspired by the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale "The Little Mermaid," Miyazaki's story centers around a goldfish with a girl's face who is rescued by a five-year-old boy, Sosuke.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

Then one day, she sent all of us home with a goldfish.

From "The Fourteenth Goldfish" by Jennifer L. Holm