dogfish

noun dog·fish \ -ˌfish \

|Updated on: 6 Jun 2018

Definition of dogfish

: any of various usually small bottom-dwelling sharks (as of the families Squalidae, Carcharhinidae, and Scyliorhinidae) that often appear in schools near shore, prey chiefly on fish and invertebrates, and are a valuable food source

See dogfish defined for kids

Recent Examples of dogfish from the Web

Viper dogfish, Trigonognathus kabeyai, are a deep-sea dwelling type of small shark.

— sarah gibbens, National Geographic, "'Alien'-Like Sharks With Extendable Jaws Pulled From Deep Sea," 11 Jan. 2018
That's why the blacktip sharks, just like cod, dogfish, and a host of other fish species, are moving north to get more comfortable—and follow their food supply.

— National Geographic, "More Sharks Ditching Annual Migration as Ocean Warms," 8 Mar. 2018
The center displays more than 40 species, including crabs, lobsters, seahorses, skates, and dogfish from local waters.

— BostonGlobe.com, "The 20 best beaches to visit in New England," 2 May 2018
Viper dogfish have only been found in waters off the coasts of Japan, Taiwan, and Hawaii.

— sarah gibbens, National Geographic, "'Alien'-Like Sharks With Extendable Jaws Pulled From Deep Sea," 11 Jan. 2018
On their bodies, viper dogfish have little cells that produce light called photophores.

— sarah gibbens, National Geographic, "'Alien'-Like Sharks With Extendable Jaws Pulled From Deep Sea," 11 Jan. 2018
According to Ruiz, all the fish pulled in were catch and release, except for the dogfish.

— kitty conley, Post-Tribune, "St. Mary's kids went fishing," 2 Oct. 2017
The Fish None-too-delicate angel shark or dogfish doesn’t break down while cooking in oil.

— kurt soller, Bon Appetit, "How Baja Locals Build the Ultimate Fish Taco," 1 June 2017
Calagione spent summers in Maine as a kid, near a fishing area where lobster boats caught a lot of dogfish.

— kathleen purvis, charlotteobserver, "Why does the owner of Dogfish Head love N.C. beer so much?," 27 July 2017

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

First Known Use of dogfish

15th century

in the meaning defined above

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DOGFISH Defined for Kids

dogfish

noun dog·fish \ ˈdȯg-ˌfish \

Definition of dogfish for Students

: a small shark often seen near shore

Medical Dictionary

dogfish

noun dog·fish \ -ˌfish \

medical Definition of dogfish

: any of various small sharks (as of the families Squalidae, Carcharhinidae, and Scyliorhinidae) that often appear in schools near shore, prey chiefly on fish and invertebrates, and are a valuable food source