zebrafish

American  

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

noun

zebrafishes plural

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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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• zebrafish
  plural
• zebrafishes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of zebrafish

First recorded in 1765–75; zebra + fish

Example Sentences

Researchers selected axolotls, zebrafish, and mice because each species offers unique insights into regeneration.

From Science Daily • May 9, 2026

Additional experiments in zebrafish were used to investigate the biological processes involved in the damage.

From Science Daily • Mar. 16, 2026

It works effectively in mice and zebrafish, supports recordings that last for hours, and does not require any external light source.

From Science Daily • Dec. 19, 2025

However, the zebrafish experiments showed that glucose levels in the intestine can become high enough after eating to activate this pathway even under normal conditions.

From Science Daily • Dec. 17, 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