goby

1 of 2

noun

go·​by ˈgō-bē 

plural gobies also goby

: any of numerous spiny-finned fishes (family Gobiidae) that usually have the pelvic fins united to form a ventral sucking disk

Illustration of goby

go by

2 of 2

verb

went by; gone by; going by; goes by

intransitive verb

: pass sense 3b

as time goes by

transitive verb

1

a

: to be guided or directed by : act in accordance with

going by the rules

went by what we'd been told

b

: to form an opinion from

You can't go by appearances.

2

: to be known by (a name)

goes by her birth name

goes by an alias

3

: to go (somewhere) especially to see someone

I went by your house yesterday.

Examples of goby in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Blennies and gobies are tiring to look at, darting every which way above. —Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026

Ross Gudgeon, Australia - Close-Up Photographer of the Year A yellow clown goby guards its eggs in Anilao, Philippines. —Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 12 Feb. 2026

Verb

Many stopped along the sidewalk to watch the group go by, with some taking photos and videos of the march and others briefly joining in on the protestors’ chants. —Mary Ramsey march 28, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2026

The poster child for this world is a waifish, wavy-haired 20-year-old who goes by the name Clavicular. —Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin gobius gudgeon, from Greek kōbios

First Known Use

Noun

1769, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1508, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

goby

noun

go·​by ˈgō-bē 

plural gobies also goby

: any of numerous spiny-finned fishes that often have the pelvic fins united to form a sucking disk