spearfish

[ speer-fish ]

/ ˈspɪərˌfɪʃ /

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noun, plural (especially collectively) spear·fish, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) spear·fish·es.

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.

any of several related fishes.

verb (used without object), spear·fished, spear·fish·ing.

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. 2022

How to use spearfish in a sentence

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 spearfish

spearfish

/ (ˈspɪəˌfɪʃ) /

noun plural -fish or -fishes

another name for marlin

Word Origin for spearfish

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