: a predaceous dull-green iridescent North American freshwater fish (Amia calva) that is the only surviving member of an order (Amiiformes) dating back to the Jurassic
Examples of bowfin in a Sentence
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Like bowfin, snakeheads have hard mouths and jaws, but the bigger issues are their teeth and bite force.
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Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026
And while bowfins are relatively harmless, the northern snakehead is known to ravage ecosystems.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 30 May 2025
Snakeheads are often confused with a native species—the bowfin—but anglers can tell them apart by looking at the anal fin, which is much longer on a snakehead.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2025
The first step is to identify the snakehead, which can be easily mistaken for the bowfin, another type of native fish found in Missouri waters.
—Natalie Wallington, Kansas City Star, 7 June 2024
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Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026
And while bowfins are relatively harmless, the northern snakehead is known to ravage ecosystems.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 30 May 2025
Snakeheads are often confused with a native species—the bowfin—but anglers can tell them apart by looking at the anal fin, which is much longer on a snakehead.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2025
The first step is to identify the snakehead, which can be easily mistaken for the bowfin, another type of native fish found in Missouri waters.
—Natalie Wallington, Kansas City Star, 7 June 2024
Cite this Entry
“Bowfin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bowfin. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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