swordfish

noun

sword·​fish ˈsȯrd-ˌfish 

: a very large scombroid fish (Xiphias gladius of the family Xiphiidae) that has a long swordlike beak formed by the bones of the upper jaw and is an important food and game fish

Illustration of swordfish

Examples of swordfish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Once in the ocean, mercury is converted into methylmercury — a far more toxic form that accumulates in large predatory fish like tuna, swordfish, and even salmon, through a process called biomagnification. —Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 2 May 2025

There’s always fantastic ahi tuna, and often swordfish, hamachi, snapper, kanpachi, sea bass and more, all wild caught (with the exception of salmon, not found in HI). —Larry Olmsted, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025

Carefully turn the swordfish over and cook on the second side until the fish is opaque, about 4 minutes. —Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 20 Mar. 2025

However, people should be mindful of mercury in king mackerel, tilefish, swordfish, and shark.14 Omega-3 supplements are recommended for infant visual and brain development during pregnancy and breastfeeding. —Allison Herries, Verywell Health, 27 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for swordfish

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

Kids Definition

swordfish

noun

sword·​fish -ˌfish 

: a very large ocean fish that has a long swordlike beak formed by the bones of the upper jaw and is an important food and game fish