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spearfish

[speer-fish]
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noun, plural (especially collectively) spear·fish, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) spear·fish·es.
  1. any of several fishes of the genus Tetrapturus, resembling the sailfish but having the first dorsal fin much less developed: inhabiting all seas, but rare.
  2. any of several related fishes.
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verb (used without object), spear·fished, spear·fish·ing.
  1. to fish underwater using a spearlike implement used manually or propelled mechanically.
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Origin of spearfish

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; spear1 + fish
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for spearfishing

Historical Examples

  • Both Jan and Barby were expert Scuba divers, and he had looked forward to spearfishing with them in the bay.

    The Flying Stingaree

    Harold Leland Goodwin

British Dictionary definitions for spearfishing

spearfish

noun plural -fish or -fishes
  1. another name for marlin
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Word Origin

so named because of its long pointed jaw
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012