sawfish

American  

[saw-fish] / ˈsɔˌfɪʃ /

noun

plural

sawfish,

plural

sawfishes

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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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

“We are hopeful this rescue and rehabilitation of an adult smalltooth sawfish will bring us one step closer to understanding the cause of this event.”

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

The great sawfish, heavy muscled and slow of movement, made no attempt to defend himself, but plunged suddenly downward into the gloomy depths where he loved to lie in wait.

From Children of the Wild by Roberts, Charles George Douglas, Sir