needlefish

noun

nee·​dle·​fish ˈnē-dᵊl-ˌfish How to pronounce needlefish (audio)
1
: any of a family (Belonidae) of elongate carnivorous chiefly marine bony fishes that are silvery with blue or green backs and have long slender jaws and sharp teeth
2

Illustration of needlefish

Illustration of needlefish
  • needlefish 1

Examples of needlefish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Lures with frantic actions send out lots of vibrations through the water, but the needlefish does the opposite. Jimmy Fee, Field & Stream, 13 Sep. 2023 Something straightforward like sardines in olive oil, or silvery needlefish for a close variation, sets a benchmark. Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2023 Blue runners, mangrove snappers, grunts, needlefish and Bermuda chub were all biting. Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 22 Sep. 2022 Two needlefish jetted from the water and nearly landed in the cockpit. Porter Fox, New York Times, 18 Dec. 2019 There were fluttering butterflyfish, rock-threading needlefish and enough lemon-yellow tangs to fill a fruit stand. Brian J. Cantwell, chicagotribune.com, 24 Apr. 2018 Translucent wafers of Korean fluke are wrapped in kelp to cure; sayori (needlefish) is slivered and marinated in soy; and tender lobes of rich uni are glazed with miso. Garrett Snyder, Los Angeles Magazine, 18 July 2017 Anglers have been catching plenty of trout in the 20 to 24 inch range using rapalas, dick nites, needlefish, and various fly patterns. Colorado Parks & Wildlife, The Denver Post, 11 June 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'needlefish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of needlefish was in 1601

Dictionary Entries Near needlefish

Cite this Entry

“Needlefish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/needlefish. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

needlefish

noun
nee·​dle·​fish ˈnēd-ᵊl-ˌfish How to pronounce needlefish (audio)
1
: any of various long flesh-eating fishes with long slender jaws and sharp teeth
2

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