batfish
|bat-fish|
/ˈbæt.fɪʃ/
a fish with a bat-like shape
Etymology
'batfish' originates from Modern English as a compound of the words 'bat' and 'fish', where 'bat' referred to the flying mammal (used here for resemblance) and 'fish' referred to a water-dwelling vertebrate.
'batfish' formed in English by combining 'bat' (Old English 'batt' / 'bætta' for the mammal) and 'fish' (Old English 'fisc'), producing a compound name for fish with a bat-like appearance; the compound usage dates to the period when common names for marine species were being standardized in modern natural history.
Initially it meant 'a fish that resembles a bat' (a descriptive common name); over time the term came to be applied specifically to members of certain families (notably Ogcocephalidae) while still being used loosely for unrelated species with similar shapes.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
any of several flattened, bottom-dwelling marine fishes of the family Ogcocephalidae (often called sea batfishes), with modified pectoral fins used to 'walk' on the seafloor.
The batfish lay on the sand, using its pectoral fins to move slowly along the seabed.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a general name for any fish that has a bat-like appearance (broad, winglike fins or a flattened body); used loosely for unrelated species with similar shape.
Local fishermen call several different species 'batfish' because of their unusual shapes.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/16 06:10