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puffer fish
noun
1
: any of a family (Tetraodontidae) of chiefly tropical scaleless marine bony fishes which can distend themselves to a globular form and most of which are highly poisonous
called also blowfish, globefish, swellfish
compare fugu2
: any of various fish of the same order (Tetraodontiformes) as the puffer fish
Examples of puffer fish in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Souza told us about the early islanders’ sophisticated system of aquaculture and pointed out the eel, barracuda, and — excitement! — puffer fish that live in the ponds today.
—Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2024
Lin Qi, a brash gaming entrepreneur, was hospitalized in December 2020 for mercury poisoning and a neurotoxin similar to the kind found in puffer fish.
—Jordan Riefe, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2024
Last weekend, Dominguez fit right in, dressed as a billowing psychedelic puffer fish that enveloped most of his face.
—Patricia Leigh Brown, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2024
The Bartz sculptures, which started with a puffer fish in 2012, were inspired by a trip to Florida.
—Staff Report, Twin Cities, 20 Jan. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1869, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Dictionary Entries Near puffer fish
Cite this Entry
“Puffer fish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puffer%20fish. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
puffer fish
noun
: any of various scaleless fishes chiefly of tropical seas which can puff themselves up with air or water when threatened and most of which are highly poisonous
called also blowfish, puffer
Medical Definition
puffer fish
noun
variants
or pufferfish
: any of a family (Tetraodontidae) of chiefly tropical, scaleless, marine fishes that when threatened can distend themselves to a large, roundish form and most of which are highly poisonous
called also blowfish, globefish
see fuguLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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