sawfish

American  

[saw-fish] / ˈsɔˌfɪʃ /

noun

sawfish, plural sawfishes plural

1. a large, elongated ray of the genus Pristis, living along tropical coasts and lowland rivers, with a bladelike snout bearing strong teeth on each side.

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sawfish British  

/ ˈsɔːˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. any sharklike ray of the family Pristidae of subtropical coastal waters and estuaries, having a serrated bladelike mouth

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• sawfish
  plural
• sawfishes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of sawfish

First recorded in 1655–65; saw ¹ + fish

Example Sentences

Seagrasses provide shelters, nurseries, and feeding grounds for thousands of species, including endangered animals such as dugongs, stalked jellyfish and smalltooth sawfish.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2025

Then, in January, the mysterious ailment began afflicting smalltooth sawfish, a type of large, prehistoric-looking ray named for the look of its long snout lined with sharp teeth.

From New York Times • Apr. 15, 2024

It’s more difficult to rehabilitate an animal like a sawfish than it is for an air-breathing marine creature, such as a dolphin or manatee, officials say.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 12, 2024

To find out, she and colleagues examined 17 genomes from various species of sharks, skates, and sawfish.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 12, 2023

But the steamer tore its way out like a savage sawfish and cleaved its heartless way, full speed ahead.

From The Trimmed Lamp, and other Stories of the Four Million by Henry, O.