triggerfish

American  

[trig-er-fish] / ˈtrɪg ərˌfɪʃ /

noun

triggerfish, plural triggerfishes plural

1. any of various compressed, deep-bodied fishes of the genus Balistes and allied genera, chiefly inhabiting tropical seas, having an anterior dorsal fin with three stout spines: some are edible while others are poisonous.

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triggerfish British  

/ ˈtrɪɡəˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. any plectognath fish of the family Balistidae , of tropical and temperate seas. They have a compressed body with erectile spines in the first dorsal fin

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• triggerfish
  plural
• triggerfishes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of triggerfish

First recorded in 1880–85; trigger + fish

Example Sentences

Expedition divers observed an unusually large school of exotically-colored triggerfish in eastern Cuba, and a kaleidoscope of vibrant corals along the ocean floor near the densely-developed tourist destination of Varadero.

From Reuters • Sep. 1, 2023

The catch of the day, grilled triggerfish and barracuda, was worth the wait here.

From Washington Post • Sep. 9, 2022

Snorkeling in the early morning, I was often one of the first people in the water, floating solo above humuhumunukunukuapua’a, or reef triggerfish, as they fed off the coral.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 14, 2021

Eventually, it was determined the animal was likely a triggerfish.

From Fox News • Aug. 5, 2021

A startled triggerfish darted past, orange in the sun.

From Caribbee by Hoover, Thomas