bonefish

noun

bone·​fish ˈbōn-ˌfish How to pronounce bonefish (audio)
1
: a slender silvery small-scaled fish (Albula vulpes) that is a notable sport and food fish of warm seas
2
bonefishing noun

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web One of the pinnacles of fly fishing is watching a tailing bonefish slurp down your fly and the chaos that ensues. Max Inchausti, Field & Stream, 17 Jan. 2023 An angler with good eyesight and a little luck can snag a bonefish, which, when hooked, goes on a breakneck run 200 yards into the distance. David Coggins, Robb Report, 27 Aug. 2022 The brothers also have exclusive access to Lime Caye, a shallow flat 40 miles east of Punta Gorda known for its bonefish, permit, and diving sites. The Editors, Outside Online, 5 Feb. 2020 Thousands of acres of mangroves—key to supporting bonefish and myriad other species—were killed when the storm stalled over the region. Chris Dorsey, Forbes, 24 June 2021 For fly-fishermen the world over, hooking a bonefish becomes habit forming, a kind of narcotic that keeps bringing anglers back to places like Swain’s. Chris Dorsey, Forbes, 24 June 2021 Ajemian and his doctoral student, Steve Lombardo, have been attempting to track the Caribbean bonefish, Albula vulpes, for years off the northern Bahamas, including the Abaco Islands. Douglas Main, Animals, 18 Dec. 2020 Research has shown that a significant source of postrelease mortality in tarpon and bonefish is shark predation. Popular Science, 11 Feb. 2020 For bonefish, the troubles come when there’s too much water arriving at the wrong time. T. Edward Nickens, Field & Stream, 6 Dec. 2019 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

1734, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bonefish was in 1734

Dictionary Entries Near bonefish

Cite this Entry

“Bonefish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bonefish. Accessed 21 Mar. 2023.

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