tilefish

noun

tile·​fish ˈtī(-ə)l-ˌfish How to pronounce tilefish (audio)
: any of various marine bony fishes (family Malacanthidae) used as food
especially : a large fish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) of deep waters of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico with a fleshy appendage on the head and yellow spots on the upper body and some of its fins

Illustration of tilefish

Illustration of tilefish

Examples of tilefish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Fish like king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico, and bigeye tuna, which contain the highest mercury levels, should be limited or avoided. Brittany Lubeck, Verywell Health, 29 May 2025 Even the Inlet Seafood Restaurant in Montauk only offers local fluke, golden tilefish and big-eye tuna on its menu. John Mariani, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025 The fish in question was a type of tilefish, deep-sea dwellers found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 11 Feb. 2025 Avoid fish like swordfish, tilefish, and king mackerel, sticking to smaller fish like cod, tilapia, shrimp, and salmon. Sarah Bradley, Parents, 22 July 2024 Image Shoppers at fish markets like Mermaid’s Garden in Brooklyn can buy sustainable, easy-to-cook fillets like hake and golden tilefish. Melissa Clark, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2024 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists top predator species—including tilefish, swordfish, sharks, and king mackerel—as the fish with the highest levels of mercury. Gia Mora, Treehugger, 8 Mar. 2023

Word History

Etymology

tile- modification of New Latin Lopholatilus

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tilefish was in 1881

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tilefish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tilefish. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on tilefish

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!