needlefish

American

[need-l-fish] / ˈnid lˌfɪʃ /

noun

plural

needlefish,

plural

needlefishes

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

needlefish British

/ ˈniːdəlˌfɪʃ /

noun

any ferocious teleost fish of the family Belonidae of warm and tropical regions, having an elongated body and long toothed jaws
another name for pipefish

"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

Etymology

Origin of needlefish

First recorded in 1595–1605; needle + fish

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.

Muhammad Idul, 16, said the impact of the needlefish threw him from his fishing boat, according to reports.

From Fox News

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

From New York Times

It’s winter king salmon season now in Sitka, trollers prowling the fishing boundary as chinook fatten up on needlefish, herring and krill, in preparation for their spring journeys home to their native streams.

From Seattle Times

“We haven’t even gotten to great white sharks or saltwater crocodiles or Indonesian needlefish or—” “OK, OK,” I say, laughing and holding up my hands for him to stop.

From Literature

Rainbow are hitting on needlefish at Medicare Beach as well.

From Seattle Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023