sunfish

1 of 2

noun

sun·​fish ˈsən-ˌfish How to pronounce sunfish (audio)
1
2
: any of numerous North American freshwater bony fishes (family Centrarchidae, especially genus Lepomis) usually with a deep compressed body and metallic luster

Sunfish

2 of 2

trademark

used for a small light sailboat that has one sail

Examples of sunfish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The lake also holds strong numbers of sunfish, some up to 8 inches long. Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 11 June 2024 In Iowa, the majority of the deceased fish were minnows, shiners, dace, or chub, though thousands of channel catfish and at least 264 flatheads were killed, too, along with carp and sunfish. Sage Marshall, Field & Stream, 3 Apr. 2024 Useful tip: Pumpkinseeds and other members of the sunfish family (bluegill, crappie and bass) have a spiny dorsal fin that can deliver a painful spike to unsuspecting anglers. Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 For clarity, the sunfish family also includes the black bass gang, along with the ‘tweener species, like black and white crappie. David A. Brown, Field & Stream, 11 Jan. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sunfish 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sunfish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1630, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sunfish was circa 1630

Dictionary Entries Near sunfish

Cite this Entry

“Sunfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sunfish. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

sunfish

noun
sun·​fish ˈsən-ˌfish How to pronounce sunfish (audio)
1
: a very large sea fish that is flattened from side to side and has long fins and a small mouth
2
: any of a family of North American freshwater fishes that are related to the perches, are often brightly colored, and usually have a body that is flattened from side to side

More from Merriam-Webster on sunfish

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