needlefish

noun

nee·​dle·​fish ˈnē-dᵊl-ˌfish How to pronounce needlefish (audio)
1
: any of a family (Belonidae) of elongate carnivorous chiefly marine bony fishes that are silvery with blue or green backs and have long slender jaws and sharp teeth
2

Illustration of needlefish

Illustration of needlefish
  • needlefish 1

Examples of needlefish 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.
The swordfish lives at mid-level depths, while needlefish are found closer to the surface. Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024 Swordfish and needlefish can both leap out of the water, and both have sharp bills that can puncture skin and cause harm. Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024 An Italian surfer died last week after being impaled by a needlefish in the waters off Masokut Island in Indonesia. Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024 Lures with frantic actions send out lots of vibrations through the water, but the needlefish does the opposite. Jimmy Fee, Field & Stream, 13 Sep. 2023 Something straightforward like sardines in olive oil, or silvery needlefish for a close variation, sets a benchmark. Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2023 Blue runners, mangrove snappers, grunts, needlefish and Bermuda chub were all biting. Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 22 Sep. 2022 Two needlefish jetted from the water and nearly landed in the cockpit. Porter Fox, New York Times, 18 Dec. 2019 There were fluttering butterflyfish, rock-threading needlefish and enough lemon-yellow tangs to fill a fruit stand. Brian J. Cantwell, chicagotribune.com, 24 Apr. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of needlefish was in 1601

Dictionary Entries Near needlefish

Cite this Entry

“Needlefish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/needlefish. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

needlefish

noun
nee·​dle·​fish ˈnēd-ᵊl-ˌfish How to pronounce needlefish (audio)
1
: any of various long flesh-eating fishes with long slender jaws and sharp teeth
2

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