red mullet

American  

noun

1. a goatfish or surmullet.

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red mullet British  

noun

1. US name: goatfish.  any of the marine percoid fishes constituting the family Mullidae , esp Mullus surmuletus , a food fish of European waters. They have a pair of long barbels beneath the chin and a reddish coloration

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Etymology

Origin of red mullet

First recorded in 1755–65

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

red mullet

Rock started photographing Bowie as the artist was forming his Ziggy Stardust persona: bright red mullet, with blood-red rouge and eye shadow and glittery gold lipstick.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 19, 2021

Gone are the days when he used to boast an abundant catch of red lobster, sea urchin and red mullet.

From Reuters ● Jul. 9, 2019

Fish and chips is a classic British dish but rather than cod, plaice, or haddock, global warming means we could be eating John Dory, red mullet, and sardines.

From BBC ● Apr. 18, 2015

The fish are bigger and include desirable species like grouper, red mullet and Mediterranean sea bass that were no longer present closer to land.

From New York Times ● Dec. 24, 2012

They talked about fishing—notably that once they caught some red mullet, which the "common sweeper" and his neighbour both agreed was "not natural in those waters."

From Sea Warfare by Kipling, Rudyard