silverfish

American  

[sil-ver-fish] / ˈsɪl vərˌfɪʃ /

noun

silverfish, plural silverfishes plural

1. a white or silvery goldfish, Carassius auratus.

2. any of various other silvery fishes, as the tarpon, silversides, or shiner.

3. a wingless, silvery-gray thysanuran insect, Lepisma saccharina, that feeds on starch, damaging books, wallpaper, etc.

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silverfish British  

/ ˈsɪlvəˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. a silver variety of the goldfish Carassius auratus

2. any of various other silvery fishes, such as the moonfish Monodactylus argenteus

3. any of various small primitive wingless insects of the genus Lepisma, esp L. saccharina, that have long antennae and tail appendages and occur in buildings, feeding on food scraps, bookbindings, etc: order Thysanura (bristletails)

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• silverfish
  plural
• silverfishes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of silverfish

First recorded in 1695–1705; silver + fish

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

silverfish

Old manuscripts are usually infested with woodworms, silverfish or “other microscopic creatures with a love of paper.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 9, 2026

Eliminate clutter and vacuum upholstered furniture, floors and carpet often — be aware that silverfish lay eggs in the carpet.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 16, 2021

You imagine old ones laid out in forgotten display cases, nibbled by silverfish.

From New York Times ● Jan. 21, 2021

Peter and his colleagues collect silverfish that have been attracted to the lights they have set up on the Nile river in Bujagali, Uganda, 12 November.

From The Guardian ● Dec. 9, 2020

Before Herbie Goldfarb arrived in Milagro he had a passing familiarity with cockroaches and silverfish, but he had a very spotty record vis-a-vis ants.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols