mudfish
|mud-fish|
/ˈmʌd.fɪʃ/
a fish that lives in mud
Etymology
'mudfish' originates from English, specifically the combination of the words 'mud' and 'fish' used together to name fish associated with muddy habitats.
'mud' comes from Middle English 'mudde' (or variants such as 'mude'), and 'fish' comes from Old English 'fisc'; the compound 'mudfish' developed in post‑Middle English usage by combining these two elements.
Initially it referred simply to a 'fish from muddy places'; over time it has continued to be used as a common name applied to several different species or groups of fish with that habitat habit.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
any of various freshwater fish that live in muddy, shallow, or low-oxygen waters and often can survive adverse conditions (burrowing into mud, estivating, or tolerating low oxygen).
After the flood the river was full of mudfish that had been washed into the shallows.
Noun 2
a common name applied to specific groups of fishes, for example the New Zealand genus Neochanna (called New Zealand mudfishes) and various lungfish or catfish species in different regions.
Scientists study the New Zealand mudfish (Neochanna) for its ability to survive drought.
Last updated: 2025/08/24 14:53