billfish

noun bill·fish \ ˈbil-ˌfish \

|Updated on: 3 Jun 2018

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

Recent Examples of billfish from the Web

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
Fishing tournaments have to obtain federal permits to target highly migratory fish species including sharks, tunas and billfish, Jenkins said.

— bruce henderson, charlotteobserver, "Anglers in SC shark fishing tourney could be in trouble for what they hauled in," 20 June 2017
Points will be awarded for up to three billfish releases.

— steve waters, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Outdoors calendar: Anglin's Pier clean-up is Saturday in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea," 27 Apr. 2017
A vast treasure trove of information on the secret lives of ocean predators is being revealed through pioneering efforts to monitor the movements of sharks, billfish, and bluefin tuna using cutting-edge technology.

— gary strauss, National Geographic, "Tracking the Secret Lives of Ocean Predators," 18 Nov. 2016

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.