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surgeonfish

noun
sur·​geon·​fish | \ ˈsər-jən-ˌfish 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

First Known Use of surgeonfish

1871, in the meaning defined above

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