halibut
noun
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Among the different kinds of fish found in the world’s oceans is a group called the flatfish. Flatfish are well named, for they have flattened bodies with both eyes on the upper side of the head. In Middle English the word for flatfish was butte. During the Middle Ages, fish was often eaten on holy days in place of meat. The most popular fish for the holy days was the largest variety of flatfish, or “butte.” Thus, this particular fish came to be called in Middle English halybutte, meaning literally “holy flatfish,” from haly, a form of holy, and butte. In modern English the spelling has been changed to halibut.
Examples of halibut in a Sentence
Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 17 Oct. 2024
On the menu, guests savored blanched asparagus drizzled with truffle, followed by a delightful filet of halibut.
—Eliseé Browchuk, Vogue, 13 Sep. 2024
The ship also calls at Kodiak, where guests can board boats for wildlife viewing or fish for king salmon or halibut, before continuing to the scenic glacier cruising and fascinating communities in Southeast Alaska.
—Scott Laird, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Sep. 2024
Wildlife photographers search for bears and moose, and anglers head out for salmon and halibut from Whittier.
—Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Halibut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/halibut. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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halibut
noun
Middle English halybutte, literally, "holy flatfish," from haly "holy" and butte "flatfish"; so called from the fact it was regularly eaten on holy days
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