wrasse

American  

[ras] / ræs /

noun

1. any of various marine fishes of the family Labridae, especially of the genus Labrus, having thick, fleshy lips, powerful teeth, and usually a brilliant color, certain species being valued as food fishes.

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wrasse British  

/ ræs /

noun

1. any marine percoid fish of the family Labridae, of tropical and temperate seas, having thick lips, strong teeth, and usually a bright coloration: many are used as food fishes

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Etymology

Origin of wrasse

1665–75; apparently originally a plural of dial. (Cornwall) wrah, wraugh, wrath < Cornish wragh, lenited form of gwragh literally, old woman, hag; compare Welsh gwrach ( en ), Breton gwrac’h, also with both senses

Example Sentences

Previous studies had already shown that cleaner wrasse can identify themselves in a mirror.

From Science Daily • Feb. 23, 2026

And on Norfolk Island — a remote rock in the Pacific Ocean with about 2,000 residents and essentially no exports to the U.S. — a children’s book author memed a baffled-looking tropical wrasse fish.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2025

Following a visit to the site of the incident, Mr Moyes believes the dead fish in the water to be wrasse.

From BBC • Sep. 30, 2024

Dr. Kohda knows well how tough persuading scientists can be, after his own extensive efforts to demonstrate self-awareness in the bluestreak cleaner wrasse fish.

From New York Times • Oct. 25, 2023

So they brought him rare sand-suckers, and blue-striped wrasse, and saury pike, and gigantic cuttle-fish, four feet long, to his heart's content.

From Biographies of Working Men by Allen, Grant