archerfish
noun
ar·cher·fish
ˈär-chər-ˌfish 
: any of several small chiefly Asian bony fishes (genus Toxotes and especially T. ejaculator of the family Toxotidae) that catch insects by stunning them with water ejected from their mouths
Examples of archerfish in a Sentence
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Still, the findings seem to indicate that an archerfish might recognize the person who incessantly taps on its aquarium wall.
—
Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 7 June 2016
The Shedd Aquarium houses a remarkable creature called an archerfish that spits water 3 feet into the air to knock insects off trees into the water for dinner.
—Sheryl Devore, chicagotribune.com, 10 Jan. 2022
The scientists concluded that archerfish can assume the viewpoint of another archerfish to learn a difficult skill from a distance.
—Jonathan Balcombe, Scientific American, 1 May 2017
An archerfish can squirt water in a single shot or in a machine gun–like fusillade.
—Jonathan Balcombe, Scientific American, 1 May 2017
Using water as a projectile is only one of many foraging options for the archerfish.
—Jonathan Balcombe, Scientific American, 1 May 2017
Crazy archerfish that spray bugs off leaves to eat.
—Erica Boniface, The Know, 4 Jan. 2017
Complex, context-dependent decision strategies of archerfish, Toxotes chatareus.
—Mary Bates, WIRED, 19 Nov. 2013
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Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 7 June 2016
The Shedd Aquarium houses a remarkable creature called an archerfish that spits water 3 feet into the air to knock insects off trees into the water for dinner.
—Sheryl Devore, chicagotribune.com, 10 Jan. 2022
The scientists concluded that archerfish can assume the viewpoint of another archerfish to learn a difficult skill from a distance.
—Jonathan Balcombe, Scientific American, 1 May 2017
An archerfish can squirt water in a single shot or in a machine gun–like fusillade.
—Jonathan Balcombe, Scientific American, 1 May 2017
Using water as a projectile is only one of many foraging options for the archerfish.
—Jonathan Balcombe, Scientific American, 1 May 2017
Crazy archerfish that spray bugs off leaves to eat.
—Erica Boniface, The Know, 4 Jan. 2017
Complex, context-dependent decision strategies of archerfish, Toxotes chatareus.
—Mary Bates, WIRED, 19 Nov. 2013
Cite this Entry
“Archerfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/archerfish. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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