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View synonyms for

oarfish

[awr-fish, ohr-]

noun

plural

oarfish 
,

plural

oarfishes .
  1. any long, ribbon-shaped, silvery fish of the genus Regalecus, of deep tropical waters, having a red dorsal fin along the spine that rises to a crest, and reaching a length of 30 feet (9 meters).



oarfish

/ ˈɔːˌɪʃ /

noun

  1. Also called: king of the herrings.a very long ribbonfish, Regalecus glesne, with long slender ventral fins

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of oarfish1

First recorded in 1855–60; oar + fish
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Word History and Origins

Origin of oarfish1

C19: referring to the flattened oarlike body
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The oarfish has long been referred to as a doomsday fish, a reference that likely stems from Japanese folklore, which considered spotting such a fish a bad omen of natural disasters.

From

A silvery 10-foot-long creature, the oarfish has fueled fisherman’s tales of sea serpents — and in some cultures has been a portent of natural disasters.

From

Anyone in Southern California interested in seeing one up close can visit the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, where an oarfish found in Catalina Island is on display.

From

caused the diesel electric-powered submarine to plummet to such depths, below where giant octopi and oarfish tend to roam, is unclear.

From

Who wouldn't think, for example, that the giant oarfish, the longest bony fish in the world was some kind serpent?

From

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