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pilotfish

American  
[pahy-luht-fish] / ˈpaɪ lətˌfɪʃ /

noun

plural

pilotfish,

plural

pilotfishes

  1. a small, marine fish, Naucrates ductor, often swimming with sharks.

  2. any of various other fishes having similar habits.

Etymology

Origin of pilotfish

First recorded in 1625–35; pilot + 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.

During spawning, a cluster of journalists surrounded her, like pilotfish hovering around a shark.

From Science Magazine

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.