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

Examples of goby in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Like other related species, slender eel gobies are easily misidentified, the study said. —Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025

Due to their abundance and small sizes, these gobies are an important snack for many larger species of reef fishes. —Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025

Verb

And Verlander, as an individual, had to watch another win go by the wayside. —Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 7 Sep. 2025

This means the seasonal blooms of insects like caterpillars – which offspring rely on at nesting colonies – have been and gone by the time the birds arrive. —New Atlas, 7 Sep. 2025

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 above

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