puffer fish

noun

1

: any of a family (Tetraodontidae) of chiefly tropical scaleless marine bony fishes which can distend themselves to a globular form and most of which are highly poisonous

called also blowfish, globefish, swellfish

compare fugu

2

: any of various fish of the same order (Tetraodontiformes) as the puffer fish

Examples of puffer fish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Interestingly, almost immediately after planting the frame in the water, there’s an increase in marine life around the coral, such as puffer fish and rays. —Jeanine Barone, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025

Like the bowers, the nests of the puffer fish are beautiful and involve mate attraction. —Shawn Simpson, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2025

Disrupting this power plant – with the help of a puffer fish – showed a breakthrough way to fight the tumors. —Michael Franco, New Atlas, 13 Feb. 2025

Crystal is a puffer fish and wears shoes that reference Alexander McQueen’s famous armadillo shoes. —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for puffer fish

• cuttlefish
• jellyfish
• sablefish
• bluefish
• catfish
• codfish
• crawfish
• dogfish
• finfish
• flatfish
• goldfish
• groundfish

Kids Definition

puffer fish

noun

: any of various scaleless fishes chiefly of tropical seas which can puff themselves up with air or water when threatened and most of which are highly poisonous

called also blowfish, puffer

Medical Definition

puffer fish

noun

variants or pufferfish

: any of a family (Tetraodontidae) of chiefly tropical, scaleless, marine fishes that when threatened can distend themselves to a large, roundish form and most of which are highly poisonous

called also blowfish, globefish

see fugu