1 surgeonfish | Definition of surgeonfish
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surgeonfish

noun
sur·​geon·​fish | \ ˈsÉ™r-jÉ™n-ËŒfish How to pronounce surgeonfish (audio) \

Definition of surgeonfish

: any of a family (Acanthuridae) of tropical bony fishes that have a laterally compressed body and typically a movable spine on each side of the body near the base of the tail capable of inflicting a painful wound

Examples of surgeonfish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 Sail a traditional dhow boat a half hour to the reef and discover a variety of corals and marine species—from frogfish and sea turtles to shrimp and surgeonfish. — National Geographic, "Africa by Private Jet," 12 June 2019 Meanwhile, a group of scientists perusing a market in the Philippines stumbled upon a completely new species of surgeonfish. — Danielle Hall, Smithsonian, "The Top Ten Ocean Stories of 2017," 16 Dec. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'surgeonfish.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of surgeonfish

1871, in the meaning defined above

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More from Merriam-Webster on surgeonfish

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with surgeonfish

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about surgeonfish

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