angelfish

an·gel·fish

noun \ˈān-jəl-ˌfish\

Definition of ANGELFISH

1

: any of several laterally compressed brightly colored bony fishes (family Pomacanthidae) of warm seas

2

: a black and silver laterally compressed South American cichlid fish (Pterophyllum scalare) popular in aquariums —called also scalare

First Known Use of ANGELFISH

1668

Rhymes with ANGELFISH

anglerfish, archerfish, bony fish, butterfish, candlefish, cuttlefish, damselfish, devilfish, flying fish, guitarfish, jellyfish, John Bullish, ladyfish, lantern fish, lionfish, microfiche, muttonfish, needlefish, overfish, paddlefish, parrot fish, pilot fish, puffer fish, rainbow fish, ribbonfish, silverfish, surgeonfish, triggerfish, zebra fish

angelfish

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

An aquarium angelfish (Pterophyllum)—Jane Burton—Bruce Coleman Ltd.

Any of various fishes of the order Perciformes. The best-known angelfishes are freshwater cichlids (genus Pterophyllum) popular in home aquariums. These are thin and deep-bodied fishes that usually are silver with vertical dark markings but may be solid or partially black; they may grow to 6 in. (15 cm) in length. Brightly coloured marine angelfishes are in the family Pomacanthidae. They are found among tropical reefs in the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific, where they eat algae and marine invertebrates and reach a maximum length of 18 in. (46 cm).