Definition of oarfish
: 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
From the M-W Editors
Recent Examples of oarfish from the Web
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Deep-sea oarfish are the spitting-image of sea serpents.
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Earlier this month, an oarfish, a creature usually found in mesopelagic zones 200 to 1,000 feet below sea level, became the subject of fascination after surfacing in Carmen, Agusan Del Norte.
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Marine biologists are eager to learn more about the oarfish and its neighbors—surprisingly, so are biomechanicists.
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A marine biology instructor spotted the carcass of an 18-foot oarfish — nature’s answer to the mythical sea serpent — while snorkeling.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oarfish.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of oarfish
1860
Learn More about oarfish
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See words that rhyme with oarfish Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about oarfish
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