sunfish

1 of 2

noun

sun·​fish ˈsən-ˌfish 

1

: ocean sunfish

2

: any of numerous North American freshwater bony fishes (family Centrarchidae, especially genus Lepomis) usually with a deep compressed body and metallic luster

Sunfish

2 of 2

trademark

—used for a small light sailboat that has one sail

Examples of sunfish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Watch diver swim alongside massive sunfish in Mexico Download USA TODAY's app to get to the heart of news A $2,300 iPhone? —Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2025

Luis Miguel Gutierrez Bringas, a sea-diving tour operator, recently captured video of a massive and seemingly unbothered sunfish swimming close to another diver off the coast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in late March. —Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2025

Now, many spotters are also confusing sunfish for white sharks. —Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 30 July 2024

The next day, the sunfish began eating again and seemed more content overall. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1630, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sunfish

• green sunfish
• ocean sunfish

Rhymes for sunfish

• bluefish
• catfish
• codfish
• crawfish
• dogfish
• finfish
• flatfish
• goldfish
• groundfish
• kingfish
• offish
• redfish

Kids Definition

sunfish

noun

sun·​fish ˈsən-ˌfish 

1

: a very large sea fish that is flattened from side to side and has long fins and a small mouth

2

: any of a family of North American freshwater fishes that are related to the perches, are often brightly colored, and usually have a body that is flattened from side to side