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

To investigate, the researchers turned to zebrafish embryos, which develop quickly and also contain large, yolk rich cells during early stages.

From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2026

The Arabian killifish larvae model was developed with support from an NC3Rs project grant as an alternative to using mouse and zebrafish models, which are commonly used to study interactions between pathogens and their hosts.

From Science Daily • Dec. 23, 2025

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

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