oarfish

noun

oar·​fish ˈȯr-ˌfish How to pronounce oarfish (audio)
: a marine bony fish (Regalecus glesne) of subtropical waters with a narrow soft body from 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 meters) long, a red dorsal fin running the entire length of the body, and red-tipped anterior rays rising above the head

Examples of oarfish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This particular oarfish measured 12 feet long—though the biggest of the species can grow up to 36 feet long. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024 The oarfish is one of only 20 of the species to have washed up in California since 1901, the organization noted. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 18 Aug. 2024 And the California oarfish surfaced two days before a 4.4-magnitude earthquake rattled Los Angeles. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024 Before Japan's 2011 earthquake, one of the most catastrophic in history, 20 oarfish washed ashore, per news reports. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 18 Aug. 2024 And that lore may be the oarfish’s most notable claim to fame. Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2024 The California oarfish was indeed found just two days before a 4.4 earthquake struck the region and rattled Los Angeles. Kerry Breen, CBS News, 15 Aug. 2024 This oarfish was found two days before a 4.4-magnitude earthquake struck Southern California on Monday. Kate Murphy, Axios, 14 Aug. 2024 Only 20 oarfish have washed up in California since 1901, the Scripps Institute said. Kerry Breen, CBS News, 15 Aug. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oarfish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of oarfish was in 1860

Dictionary Entries Near oarfish

Cite this Entry

“Oarfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oarfish. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.

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