surgeonfish

[ sur-juhn-fish ]

/ ˈsɜr dʒənˌfɪʃ /

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

any tropical, coral-reef fish of the family Acanthuridae, with one or more sharp spines near the base of the tail fin.

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Origin of surgeonfish

1870–75, Americanism;surgeon + fish; so called from the resemblance of its spines to a surgeon's instruments

Words nearby surgeonfish

surg., surge, surge chamber, surgeon, surgeoncy, surgeonfish, surgeon general, surgeon's knot, surge protector, surgery, surge tank

British Dictionary definitions for surgeonfish

surgeonfish

/ (ˈsɜːdʒənˌfɪʃ) /

noun plural -fish or -fishes

any tropical marine spiny-finned fish of the family Acanthuridae, having a compressed brightly coloured body with one or more knifelike spines at the base of the tail

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