hagfish

American  

[hag-fish] / ˈhægˌfɪʃ /

noun

• hagfish,
  plural
• hagfishes
  plural

1. any eellike, marine cyclostome of the order Myxiniformes, having undeveloped eyes, a barbel-rimmed, circular mouth, and horny teeth for boring into the flesh of fishes to feed on their interior parts.

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hagfish British  

/ ˈhæɡˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. Often shortened to: hag. any eel-like marine cyclostome vertebrate of the family Myxinidae, having a round sucking mouth and feeding on the tissues of other animals and on dead organic material

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• hagfish
  plural
• hagfishes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of hagfish

First recorded in 1605–15; hag ¹ + fish

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hagfish hagfishes

But the same is true of the hagfish itself, which finds the process of being captured by scientists late at night on boats in the black ocean a bit stressful.

From New York Times ● Jan. 16, 2024

"The cell clusters we observed are likely lamprey-specific features, as they are not recognizable in the head mesoderm of both hagfish and shark embryos," explains Dr. Onai.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 10, 2024

“I have never met anyone like John,” said Douglas Fudge, a professor of biological sciences at Chapman University whose research into the biophysics of hagfish slime has benefited from Gregg’s funding.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2023

The whale’s stomach contained six hagfish traps, seven types of fishing net, two types of plastic bags, a light protector, fishing line and a float from a net.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 2, 2023

This mucus may allow the hagfish to escape from the grip of predators.

From Textbooks ● Apr. 25, 2013

Two other clades gave rise to modern lampreys and hagfishes.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2018

Lampreys are similar to hagfishes in size and shape; however, lampreys have a brain case and incomplete vertebrae.

From Textbooks ● Apr. 25, 2013

What can be inferred about the evolution of the cranium and the vertebral column from examining hagfishes and lampreys?

From Textbooks ● Apr. 25, 2013

Although they are craniates, hagfishes are not vertebrates, since they do not replace the notochord with a vertebral column during development, as do the vertebrates.

From Textbooks ● Apr. 25, 2013

It seems probable that during the breeding period the hagfishes retire into some particularly inaccessible habitat.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 8 "Cube" to "Daguerre, Louis" by Various