goby

noun go·by \ ˈgō-bē \

Definition of goby

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

See goby defined for kids

Recent Examples of goby from the Web

Lionfish are adept hunters of gobies, which are small, schooling fish that tend to hover near rocks and the seabed, making them easy to herd and corner.

— Fox News, "'Twilight Zone' Horror Story: Lionfish Prey on Unknown Fish Species," 6 June 2017
The warm water sped up the metabolism of the gobies, making them hungrier.

— carl zimmer, New York Times, "To Simulate Climate Change, Scientists Build Miniature Worlds," 11 May 2017
Breaching the lagoon could sweep the gobies out to sea, threatening their chance of survival.

— teresa l. carey, The Mercury News, "Santa Cruz, scientists, Boardwalk battle forces of nature," 24 Jan. 2017
There are about 1,800 species of marine aquarium fish in the trade, and breeders have only managed to successfully raise a few of those, including several types of clownfish and gobies.

— National Geographic, "The Horrific Way Fish Are Caught for Your Aquarium—With Cyanide," 10 Mar. 2016
The fish that are likely to thrive in the oceans of the future—small, adaptable species such as gobies and blennies—are, simply, not fish people like to eat.

— lizzie wade, WIRED, "Climate Change Means One World’s Death and Another’s Birth," 1 Sep. 2015

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

Illustration of goby

Origin and Etymology of goby

Latin gobius gudgeon, from Greek kōbios

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1769

See Words from the same year

go by

verb

Definition of go by

intransitive verb

:pass 3b

as time goes by

First Known Use of go by

1508

Learn More about goby

See words that rhyme with goby Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about goby

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up goby? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

goby

Definition of goby

Recent Examples of goby from the Web

Illustration of goby

Origin and Etymology of goby

go by

Definition of go by

First Known Use of go by

Learn More about goby

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

euphony

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

'Spox' May Go On The Record

C'mon, Of Course 'Myriad' Is a Noun

'Gamut' and 'Gambit' (and 'Gauntlet' Too)

17 English Words that Come From Japanese

Ask the Editors

Words of the Year: 1066

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Irregardless

Weird Plurals

Word Games

Forms of Government Quiz

Original Meanings Quiz

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

SCRABBLE® Sprint

'Spox' May Go On The Record

Trending: New Joe Ide Novel Causes 'Righteous' Spike

17 English Words that Come From Japanese

Forms of Government Quiz

Words of the Year: 1066

goby

Definition of goby

People Are Reading

Recent Examples of goby from the Web

Illustration of goby

Origin and Etymology of goby

go by

Definition of go by

First Known Use of go by

Learn More about goby

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

'Spox' May Go On The Record

Trending: New Joe Ide Novel Causes 'Righteous' Spike

17 English Words that Come From Japanese

Forms of Government Quiz

Words of the Year: 1066