plectognath

American  

[plek-tog-nath] / ˈplɛk tɒgˌnæθ /

adjective

1. belonging to the Plectognathi, a group or order of fishes having the teeth fused into a beak and thick, often spiny, scaleless skin, and including the filefish, globefish, puffer, and triggerfish.

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noun

1. a plectognath fish.

plectognath British  

/ ˈplɛktɒɡˌnæθ /

noun

1. any spiny-finned marine fish of the mainly tropical order Plectognathi (or Tetraodontiformes ), having a small mouth, strong teeth, and small gill openings: includes puffers, triggerfish, trunkfish, sunfish, etc

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the order Plectognathi

Other Word Forms

• plectognathic adjective
• plectognathous adjective

Etymology

Origin of plectognath

1825–35; < New Latin Plectognathi, plural of Plectognathus, equivalent to plecto- (< Greek plektós plaited, twisted; -o- ) + -gnathus -gnathous