sailfish

noun

sail·​fish ˈsāl-ˌfish How to pronounce sailfish (audio)
: any of a genus (Istiophorus, especially I. platypterus) of billfishes having a very large dorsal fin

Examples of sailfish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Farther out in the Gulf waters, offshore trophies such as tuna, kingfish, sailfish, and marlin prove bountiful game. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2024 Pacific Fins pointed out in its post that this is true even in Guatemala, which is widely considered the sailfish capital of the world. Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 29 Feb. 2024 In 2018, a German fly fisherman caught a leucistic sailfish there. Sage Marshall, Field & Stream, 29 Feb. 2024 Local angler Tyler Arrington fished offshore of Haulover Inlet in 125 feet of water and caught gaffer-size dolphins, kingfish, lots of bonitos, sailfish and lost a nice wahoo at boat side. Alan Sherman, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 One of the most notable attributes between them is that Pacific sailfish grow larger on average than Atlantic sailfish. Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 9 Nov. 2023 Many people don’t realize that, scientifically speaking, swordfish are not related to marlin or sailfish. Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 9 Nov. 2023 This reel is capable of subduing tuna, sharks, sailfish, marlin, and other blue-water species. Jerry Audet, Field & Stream, 19 July 2023 The Get Lost fishing team won the first-place prize of $2,500 and a Naked Warrior trophy for catching and releasing four sailfish. Emmett Hall, sun-sentinel.com, 4 May 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sailfish.' 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

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sailfish was in 1879

Dictionary Entries Near sailfish

Cite this Entry

“Sailfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sailfish. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sailfish

noun
sail·​fish -ˌfish How to pronounce sailfish (audio)
: any of a genus of large sea fishes that are related to the swordfish and marlins and have long slender jaws and a very large fin like a sail on the back

More from Merriam-Webster on sailfish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!