billfish

noun

bill·fish | \ ˈbil-ˌfish

How to pronounce billfish (audio)

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Definition of billfish

: a fish with long slender jaws especially : any of various bony fishes (families Istiophoridae and Xiphiidae) with an elongated tapering upper jaw including marlins, spearfishes, and sailfishes

Examples of billfish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Here's what is going to protect us instead Download the USA TODAY mobile app Adult tuna, billfish and dolphinfish are the target catch for the FADS, but juvenile fish, sharks and other species also can get caught up in the catch. — Kimberly Miller, USA TODAY, "These mysterious 'devices' keep washing up on Florida’s beaches. Scientists are concerned.," 28 Feb. 2020 For example, circle hooks must be used for billfish, sharks, reef fish, and striped bass in some areas and situations. — Popular Science, "Releasing a caught fish isn’t as simple as tossing it overboard," 11 Feb. 2020 PSATs have been used in multiple studies of billfish and tunas, species that are notoriously difficult to study with conventional methods. — Popular Science, "Releasing a caught fish isn’t as simple as tossing it overboard," 11 Feb. 2020 Big-game fishermen who went after yellowfin and bluefin tuna and billfish put the J.A Coxe 12/0 to good use starting in the 1920s. — Colin Moore, Outdoor Life, "12 Awesome, Old-School Reels That Changed How We Fish," 22 Nov. 2019 Use a lip gaff in the front lower jaw, or a snooter for billfishes. — Saryn Chorney, PEOPLE.com, "National Oceanic Administration and Shark Tagging Program Issues Statement About 'Sexy Shark Wrangler' Amid Backlash," 21 May 2018 Sabin actually caught and released 10 billfish during her 11-month trek, including a shortbill spearfish and roundscale spearfish. — Gary Garth, USA TODAY, "Billfish Slam: Woman lands 10 stunning fish species in 11 months," 27 Mar. 2018 Prince, a billfish expert who has since retired from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, was stumped. — National Geographic, "Climate Change Is Suffocating Large Parts of the Ocean," 4 Jan. 2018 The council has jurisdiction over the waters where 140 long-line vessels based in Hawaii — as well as a handful in American Samoa — fish mostly for tuna and billfish. — Christopher Pala, New York Times, "Loss of Federal Protections May Imperil Pacific Reefs, Scientists Warn," 30 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'billfish.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Billfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/billfish. Accessed 1 Mar. 2021.

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