needlefish

American  

[need-l-fish] / ˈnid lˌfɪʃ /

noun

plural

needlefish,

plural

needlefishes

1. any fish of the family Belonidae, of warm seas and coastal fresh waters, having a sharp beak and needlelike teeth.

2. a pipefish.

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needlefish British  

/ ˈniːdəlˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. any ferocious teleost fish of the family Belonidae of warm and tropical regions, having an elongated body and long toothed jaws

2. another name for pipefish

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Etymology

Origin of needlefish

First recorded in 1595–1605; needle + fish

Example Sentences

Two needlefish jetted from the water and nearly landed in the cockpit.

From New York Times • Dec. 16, 2019

Now, a tooth left in Loumoli�s wound has revealed his attacker�s identity: It was a crocodile needlefish, known as the �living javelin.�

From Time Magazine Archive

When fishing larger droppers, five to eight inches long, in heavy water, or if you need extra distance, use a two- to three-ounce Gibbs bottle plug, a large needlefish plug, a tin or a bucktail.

From Time Magazine Archive

With a bottle plug or needlefish, pump the tip lightly, using a stop-and-go retrieve.

From Time Magazine Archive

The water boiled and a barracuda broke the surface, slashing through a school of needlefish.

From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen