oarfish
[awr-fish, ohr-]
- any long, ribbon-shaped, silvery fish of the genus Regalecus, of deep tropical waters, having a red dorsal fin along the spine that rises to a crest, and reaching a length of 30 feet (9 meters).
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Origin of oarfish
Also called ribbonfish.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for oarfish
Contemporary Examples
The first sighting of the oarfish was an 18-footer that surprised a diver off Catalina Island.
The oarfish is the largest living bony fish, reaching up to 35 feet in length.
In reality, since strandings of oarfish are rare, it will be difficult—or impossible—to determine the cause.
According to Japanese mythology, the oarfish is a messenger from the dragon god of the sea.
Beaching of the oarfish is a very rare occurrence—the last time it happened was 2010—so two in one week is certainly an oddity.
oarfish
- a very long ribbonfish, Regalecus glesne, with long slender ventral finsAlso called: king of the herrings
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Word Origin
C19: referring to the flattened oarlike body
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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