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
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 How to catch them: Pumpkinseed sunfish are very similar to bluegill, and the two species are commonly confused. Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 Scientists have so far pulled 667 bass from the slough this year, along with thousands of carp and sunfish, two other warm-water nonnatives. WIRED, 4 Nov. 2023 Shore fishing in the park is best during the spring when crappies and sunfish are in the lagoons and shallows. Bob Timmons, Star Tribune, 13 May 2021 While the sunfish's dimensions are unknown, the sunfish may have been anywhere between nine to ten feet long compared to Wheaton's 14 foot-long board, reports Laura Geggel for Live Science. Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Dec. 2021 German’s close encounter with a sunfish isn’t the first time the sea creatures have stirred up viral waves. NBC News, 13 Dec. 2021 The team also caught a dozen bluegill sunfish, seven largemouth bass, a single creek chub and four hybrid green and pumpkinseed sunfish. Thomas Jewell, cleveland, 28 Aug. 2023

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 19 Mar. 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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