butterfish

American  

[buht-er-fish] / ˈbʌt ərˌfɪʃ /

noun

• butterfishes,
  plural
• butterfish
  plural

1. a small, flattened, marine food fish, Peprilus triacanthus, of Atlantic coastal waters of the United States, having very small scales and smooth skin.

2. the rock gunnel. gunnel1

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butterfish British  

/ ˈbʌtəˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. an eel-like blennioid food fish, Pholis gunnellus , occurring in North Atlantic coastal regions: family Pholidae (gunnels). It has a slippery scaleless golden brown skin with a row of black spots along the base of the long dorsal fin

2. Also called: greenbone.   marari.  an edible reef fish, Coridodax pullus , of esp S New Zealand. It has a slippery purplish-grey to olive-green skin and is often found browsing on kelp

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• butterfish
  plural
• butterfishes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of butterfish

First recorded in 1665–75; butter + fish

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

butterfish

"It was hard to come in and eat dinner after a day of watching puffin after puffin coming in with butterfish for a chick," research assistant Alyssa Eby said.

From Salon ● Jan. 7, 2022

The birds can suffer when waters warm and squid and butterfish, which aren’t good puffin food, dominate local waters, Major said.

From Washington Times ● Aug. 5, 2019

Trawlers as well as offshore lobster and crab boat operators currently catch a range of species near the underwater canyons, including squid, mackerel, butterfish, lobster and Atlantic red crab.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 15, 2016

It is meeting in Raleigh, N.C., and the amendment under discussion would affect its regulations for mackerel, butterfish and squid fishing.

From New York Times ● Feb. 9, 2015

At the shop they bought mackerel, and butterfish, and sea bass.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri