halibut
Americannoun
plural
halibut,plural
halibuts-
either of two large flatfishes, Hippoglossus hippoglossus, of the North Atlantic, or H. stenolepis, of the North Pacific, used for food.
-
any of various other similar flatfishes.
noun
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the largest flatfish: a dark green North Atlantic species, Hippoglossus hippoglossus, that is a very important food fish: family Pleuronectidae
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any of several similar and related flatfishes, such as Reinhardtius hippoglossoides ( Greenland halibut )
Etymology
Origin of 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
Explanation
A halibut is a flat fish with both eyes on one side of its body. Halibut are native to both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. With its oddly placed eyes, this coldwater fish resembles a young child's drawing. A baby halibut is more symmetrical at birth, with an eye on each side of its head. At about six months old, the fish goes through a metamorphosis that leaves it with both eyes on one side. There are many flatfish, but the halibut is the largest. The name derives from roots meaning "holy flatfish," a reference to the Christian tradition of eating fish on holy days.
Vocabulary lists containing halibut
Amazing Animals, A-Z
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Amazing Animals, List 3
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Vocabulary from Readings, Unit 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For a decade, the combination of Danish subsidies, infrastructure investment and rising global prices for halibut, cod and shrimp have helped keep the economy ticking over.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026
Sand dabs and halibut, still edible and plentiful there, were held in a net slung under the hull and served moments later.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 8, 2025
Their halibut fish and chips, spruce tip wings, and beer cheese soup are sure to warm you up and satisfy.
From Salon • Jul. 20, 2025
For its owner, Greenlandic company Polar Seafoods, which sells shrimps, crab and halibut, shorter and direct flights mean new business possibilities.
From BBC • Oct. 20, 2024
The pain in his stomach he ascribed to a halibut chowder his wife had given him for supper the night before.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
