View synonyms for sunfish

sunfish

[ suhn-fish ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, plural (especially collectively) sun·fish, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) sun·fish·es.

the ocean sunfish, Mola mola.
any of various other fishes of the family Molidae.
any of several small, brightly colored, spiny-rayed freshwater fishes of the genus Lepomis, of North America, having a deep, compressed body.

sunfish

/ ˈsʌnˌfɪʃ /

any large plectognath fish of the family Molidae, of temperate and tropical seas, esp Mola mola, which has a large rounded compressed body, long pointed dorsal and anal fins, and a fringelike tail fin
any of various small predatory North American freshwater percoid fishes of the family Centrarchidae, typically having a compressed brightly coloured body

Origin of sunfish¹

First recorded in 1620–30; sun + fish

Leatherback turtles, opah, and large numbers of ocean sunfish have been reported off Washington.

I plowed through a couple hundred suspects, throwing back mere centimillionaires the way pro bass fishermen discard sunfish.

Then all of a sudden the blue and yellow floater went under and little Hepzebiah caught a sunfish, too.

After the Toyman had taken the sunfish from the hook and put another worm on it, he threw the line back into the water.

The orangespotted sunfish was found in every stream surveyed, although only one specimen was taken from the Arkansas River.

At the uppermost pool (G-17) only small green sunfish were found.

When the time comes, the sunfish makes its nest in the fine gravel, building it with some care—for a fish.

April 25, 2024firkin

[fur-kin ]

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