halibut

noun hal·i·but \ ˈha-lə-bət also ˈhä- \

Updated on: 20 Apr 2018

Definition of halibut

plural halibut also halibuts

: any of several marine flatfishes (especially Hippoglossus hippoglossus of the Atlantic and H. stenolepis of the Pacific) that are widely used for food and include some of the largest bony fishes

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Recent Examples of halibut from the Web

Roughly 2,000 Alaskans hold quota shares of halibut; most are located in Southeast Alaska.

— laine welch, Anchorage Daily News, "Value of Alaska halibut catch shares declines; Bering Sea crab season wraps up," 15 Apr. 2018
Offering everything from fresh halibut, cod and salmon to mussels in a garlicky wine sauce, Hooked is one of several new-for-the-line features on Symphony, which is just starting up cruises out of Barcelona.

— gene sloan, USA TODAY, "First look: Hooked Seafood on Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas," 11 Apr. 2018
Tomales Bay offered a reasonable chance at a halibut especially for bait drifters and slow-trollers working near Hog Island and near the entrance to the Bay.

— sacbee, "Fishing line: Lake Tahoe is full, the Delta is dirty and several rivers close | The Sacramento Bee," 9 Apr. 2018
The children’s menu changes daily, with the halibut filet and short ribs among the favorites.

— alina dizik, WSJ, "High-End Dining for the High-Chair Set," 3 Apr. 2018
After the public portion of the meeting, Trump and Mohammed and their delegations met privately and had a lunch of halibut and roasted cauliflower.

— noah bierman, latimes.com, "Trump meets with Saudi Crown Prince 'MBS' to push arms deals and challenge to Iran," 20 Mar. 2018
But her salmon recipes, like one for seared fish on a bed of kale and quinoa, appreciate the local catch, as does a simple and excellent dish of halibut in Thai curry and another for black cod with bok choy.

— florence fabricant, New York Times, "From the Wilds of Alaska, Recipes for Adaptation," 26 Feb. 2018
Go the deep sea route for king salmon, halibut, rockfish, and cod; or stick to the rivers and streams for sockeye, silver and pink salmon, Dolly Varden, and steelhead.

— stephanie granada, Sunset, "10 Epic Fishing Trips in the West," 22 Jan. 2018
Argo had catches of striped bass, sturgeon and halibut.

— bee staff, sacbee, "Snow, cold weather slow down Northern California fishing action | The Sacramento Bee," 26 Feb. 2018

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

Did You Know?

Among the different kinds of fish found in the world’s oceans is a group called the flatfish. Flatfish are well named, for they have flattened bodies with both eyes on the upper side of the head. In Middle English the word for flatfish was butte. During the Middle Ages, fish was often eaten on holy days in place of meat. The most popular fish for the holy days was the largest variety of flatfish, or “butte.” Thus, this particular fish came to be called in Middle English halybutte, meaning literally “holy flatfish,” from haly, a form of holy, and butte. In modern English the spelling has been changed to halibut.

Origin and Etymology of halibut

Middle English halybutte, from haly, holy holy + butte flatfish, from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German but; from its being eaten on holy days

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First Known Use: 14th century

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HALIBUT Defined for English Language Learners

halibut

noun

Definition of halibut for English Language Learners

: a large fish of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans that is often eaten as food

HALIBUT Defined for Kids

halibut

noun hal·i·but \ ˈha-lə-bət \

Definition of halibut for Students

plural halibut or halibuts

: a very large saltwater flatfish often used for food

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Spanish Central: Translation of halibut Nglish: Translation of halibut for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about halibut

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