halibut

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English halybutte, equivalent to haly (variant of holy) + butte “flat fish” (from Middle Dutch ); so called because eaten on holy days. Compare Dutch heilbot, German Heilbutt

Words nearby halibut

half Wellington, half-wit, half-witted, half-year, hali-, halibut, Haliç, Halicarnassian, Halicarnassus, halicot, halide

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use halibut in a sentence

All I wanted was to eat some halibut at the bar and read a book on my phone, but the guy one stool over was determined to chat me up, no matter how many times I pointedly turned back to my reading.
Five Women. One Wilderness. Zero Mansplaining.|jversteegh|December 7, 2021|Outside Online
Plus, a chef keeps guests fueled with huevos rancheros in the morning and halibut tacos and just-baked cookies in the evenings.
The 25 Best Winter Trips in the World|jversteegh|October 15, 2021|Outside Online
Norway served a delectable North Atlantic halibut confit with smoked purée celeriac, sunchoke, and cured game meat.
Countries Face Off in D.C. Food Fight|William O’Connor|May 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In her TLC series on Alaska, we see Sarah the frontierswoman hunting, skeet-shooting, and beating a captured halibut to death.
Palin's 2012 Media Game|Howard Kurtz|November 28, 2010|DAILY BEAST

She says that the president had steak, the first lady had halibut.
My Martha's Vineyard Close Encounter|Patricia J. Williams|August 29, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Recipe Jean-Georges is a legend for many reasons: this halibut recipe is one of them.
Fresh Picks|David Myers|August 18, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Halibut, striped bass, and black bass are other good choices.
Salt Cod, Scampi, Filet of Grouper|The Daily Beast|December 23, 2008|DAILY BEAST
In the hills are coal and limestone, and along the shore is splendid cod, halibut, and salmon fishing.
Historic Adventures|Rupert S. Holland
I get codfish steaks or sometimes a little halibut; neither of those has any waste at all.
Living on a Little|Caroline French Benton
Cut large fish, such as salmon or halibut in thick pieces and tie in piece of cheesecloth.
The New Dr. Price Cookbook|Anonymous
Halibut may be dressed in the same manner, putting salt in the water when you boil it, and also in the seasoning.
Domestic French Cookery, 4th ed.|Sulpice Baru
Place fat in a frying pan, allow it to become hot, and sauté the halibut in this until well browned.
Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 3|Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences

British Dictionary definitions for halibut

halibut

holibut (ˈhɒlɪbət)

/ (ˈhælɪbət) /

noun plural -buts or -but

the largest flatfish: a dark green North Atlantic species, Hippoglossus hippoglossus, that is a very important food fish: family Pleuronectidae

any of several similar and related flatfishes, such as Reinhardtius hippoglossoides (Greenland halibut)

Word Origin for halibut

C15: from hali holy (because it was eaten on holy days) + butte flat fish, from Middle Dutch butte

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