ratfish
noun
rat·fish
ˈrat-ˌfish 
: chimaera
especially
: a silvery iridescent white-spotted chimaera (Hydrolagus colliei) of cold deep waters of the Pacific coast of North America
Examples of ratfish in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Both animals belong firmly to the branch of jawed fish called the chondrichthyans, the group of cartilaginous fish that include modern sharks, rays and ratfish.
—
Asher Elbein, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2022
Today’s sharks, rays and deep-sea ratfish all belong to this group, defined by skeletons that are primarily made of flexible cartilage rather than hardened bone tissue.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2021
Also known as chimaera or ratfish, ghost sharks have long fins and vacant eyes that make even great whites seem friendly.
—National Geographic, 12 June 2017
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Asher Elbein, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2022
Today’s sharks, rays and deep-sea ratfish all belong to this group, defined by skeletons that are primarily made of flexible cartilage rather than hardened bone tissue.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2021
Also known as chimaera or ratfish, ghost sharks have long fins and vacant eyes that make even great whites seem friendly.
—National Geographic, 12 June 2017
Cite this Entry
“Ratfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ratfish. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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