zebrafish

American  

[zee-bruh-fish, zeb-ruh-] / ˈzi brəˌfɪʃ, ˈzɛb rə- /

noun

plural

zebrafishes,

plural

zebrafish

1. a small, slender freshwater fish, Brachydanio rerio, having luminous bluish-black and silvery-gold horizontal stripes: popular in home aquariums.

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Etymology

Origin of zebrafish

First recorded in 1765–75; zebra + fish

Example Sentences

Using zebrafish as a model, the researchers showed that sorbitol, commonly found in "low-calorie" candies and gums and naturally present in stone fruits, can be produced inside the body.

From Science Daily • Dec. 17, 2025

This group spans more than 10,000 species, from catfish to aquarium favorites such as tetras and zebrafish.

From Science Daily • Nov. 3, 2025

He sees consolation in zebrafish gathering around a distressed tankmate, for example, and generosity in lab rats choosing to forgo immediate treats to free a trapped colleague, sometimes sharing the food afterward.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 13, 2025

The study was conducted on zebrafish, an animal model that exhibits strong similarities to human heart rate and overall cardiac function.

From Science Daily • Dec. 4, 2024

Working with week-old zebrafish larva, researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and colleagues decoded how the connections formed by a network of neurons in the brainstem guide the fishes' gaze.

From Science Daily • Nov. 22, 2024