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

Larger, longer-living fish, such as sharks, swordfish, and Bigeye tuna, tend to have higher mercury levels than smaller fish. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 5 Mar. 2026

Wier used the head of a 150-pound swordfish. —Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 25 Feb. 2026

Their bait was far from standard — Kenny used the head of an 80-pound yellowfin tuna, while Wier used the head of a 150-pound swordfish. —Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2026

Dogfish have fewer electroreceptors than many open-water species such as blacktips and oceanic whitetips, which are susceptible to longlines meant for tuna and swordfish. —Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026

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