tilefish

[ tahyl-fish ]

noun

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

1. a large, brilliantly colored food fish, Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps, of deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
2. any of several related fishes of the family Branchiostegidae.

tilefish

/ ˈtaɪlˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. a large brightly coloured deep-sea percoid food fish, Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps, of warm and tropical seas, esp the North American coast of the Atlantic: family Branchiostegidae

Word History and Origins

Origin of tilefish¹

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; tile + fish

Word History and Origins

Origin of tilefish¹

C19: from New Latin -tilus, ending of genus name Lopholatilus; perhaps also from a resemblance between its colours and patterning and ornamental tiles