Synonyms

oarfish

American

[awr-fish, ohr-] / ˈɔrˌfɪʃ, ˈoʊr- /

noun

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).

oarfish British

/ ˈɔːˌfɪʃ /

noun

Also called: king of the herrings. a very long ribbonfish, Regalecus glesne, with long slender ventral fins

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of oarfish

First recorded in 1855–60; oar + 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.

See Examples For:

oarfish

With its long eel-like body, gaping mouth and bright red dorsal fins, it’s no surprise that the oarfish calls to mind a sea monster.

From Slate ● Nov. 22, 2024

The latest was on Nov. 6, when an oarfish was discovered at Grandview Beach by Alison Laferriere, a doctoral candidate at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 21, 2024

If one oarfish landing on a beach is a sign of a disaster to come, how bad will it be if three wash up in quick succession?

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 21, 2024

It’s rare to see an oarfish up close in California; only 22 have washed ashore since 1901, according to UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 21, 2024

An oarfish that gets caught in a current and is taken up to the surface doesn’t have a good way to get back down.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 21, 2024

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