Definition of HALIBUT

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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.

Examples of halibut in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This evening's 170 guests were treated to a menu starting with steamed fillet of halibut with watercress mousse, asparagus spears, and chervil sauce. — Victoria Murphy, Town & Country, "Queen Elizabeth Hosts a Lavish State Banquet for President Trump at Buckingham Palace," 3 June 2019 Worryingly, about a third of the time, the halibut was actually raw olive flounder, which commonly contains parasites. — Gemma Zoe Price, WSJ, "The Fish Industry Is Plagued by Poor Quality and Fraud. One Chef Is Working to Combat It," 19 July 2018 Berkeley Charter Boats vessels are planning halibut trips beginning at the end of March and possibly through the season or until rockfish and then salmon seasons get going. — sacbee, "Fishing Line: Week of March 19 | The Sacramento Bee," 20 Mar. 2018 Those green beans will cook at the same rate as a fish fillet—try pairing them with halibut for a roasted take on nicoise salad. — Anna Stockwell, Bon Appetit, "10 Tips for Better Sheet-Pan Dinners," 2 Mar. 2018 Water Grill in the Gaslamp Quarter will serve roasted wild Alaskan halibut with lobster sauce and your choice of by-the-glass wine and for dessert, sweet gaviota strawberries with fromage blanc sorbet and pistachio tuile. — Carolina Gusman, sandiegouniontribune.com, "117 ways to celebrate mom: Your San Diego guide to Mother's Day brunches, lunches and dinners," 7 May 2018 Book a table in advance or make a reservation for the private dining room—decorated with a conceptual chandelier from designer Lindsey Adelman—to enjoy Marchand’s seasonal cuisine, like fluke carpaccio and halibut grenobloise. — Town & Country, "Inside NYC's Latest Hub for Design, Dining, and Culture," 27 Dec. 2018 In the Bering Sea, halibut, pollock and cod are moving away. — Robert Lee Hotz, WSJ, "Climate Change Drives Fish Into New Waters, Remaking an Industry," 22 Dec. 2018 Think of the foods that are abundant in the Pacific Northwest: salmon, halibut, cod, shellfish, clams, mussels, oysters, seaweed. — Sandy M. Fernandez, Woman's Day, "How Three Women Are Pioneering to End Hunger in the U.S.," 14 Nov. 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.