John Dory

American  

[dawr-ee, dohr-ee] / ˈdɔr i, ˈdoʊr i /

noun

John Dories plural

1. any fish of the family Zeidae, especially Zeus faber, of European seas, having a vertically compressed body and long spines in the dorsal fin.

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John Dory British  

/ ˈdɔːrɪ /

noun

1. a European dory (the fish), Zeus faber , having a deep compressed body, spiny dorsal fins, and massive mobile jaws

2. a related fish, Zeus australis , which is a valued food fish of Australia

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• John Dories
  plural

Etymology

Origin of John Dory

1600–10; see dory ²; jocular formation

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

John Dory

Their open-faced toasts are great — their John Dory Tuna Toasts are always delicious.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2025

Heading the kitchen will be Charlene Santiago, who was at the John Dory Oyster Bar and Reynard.

From New York Times ● Sep. 3, 2019

The accompaniments are equally straightforward, such as sesame and radish for the scallops, soy and parsley for the fluke, and olive oil and lemon for the black bass, John Dory and flounder.

From Washington Post ● May 15, 2019

Mr Moon will eat a baked John Dory sea fish that is commonly served in his hometown, the South Korean port city, Busan.

From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2018

"The grappling-hooks were brought at length, The brown bill and the sword-a; John Dory at length, for all his strength, Was clapt fast under board-a."

From The Mayor of Troy by Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir