Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Nearby Words

butterfish

 - 3 dictionary results
Butterfish
Buy Butterfish up to 50% cheaper on best-price.com
www.best-price.com/Butterfish

but⋅ter⋅fish

  [buht-er-fish]
Use butterfish in a Sentence
–noun, plural (especially collectively) -fish⋅es, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) -fish.
1. a small, flattened, marine food fish, Peprilus triacanthus, of Atlantic coastal waters of the U.S., having very small scales and smooth skin.
2. the rock gunnel.
See under gunnel 1 .

Origin:
1665–75; butter + fish
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To butterfish
Butterfish
Buy Butterfish up to 50% cheaper on best-price.com
www.best-price.com/Butterfish
but·ter·fish   (bŭt'ər-fĭsh')   
n.   pl. butterfish or but·ter·fish·es

  1. A marine food fish (Poronotus triacanthus) of the North American Atlantic coast, having a flattened body.

  2. Any of various similar or related fishes, such as the moonfish and gunnel.


[From its slippery mucous coating.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Encyclopedia

butterfish

any of the thin, deep-bodied, more or less oval and silvery fishes of the family Stromateidae (order Perciformes). Butterfishes are found in warm and temperate seas and are characterized by a small mouth, forked tail, and a single dorsal fin. Like the related rudderfishes (Centrolophidae) and man-of-war fishes (Nomeidae), they also have peculiar, toothed outpocketings in the esophagus. (In some systems of classification Centrolophidae and Nomeidae are included in Stromateidae.)

Learn more about butterfish with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see butterfish on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way