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Definition of archerfish
archerfish
/ˈɑːr.tʃɚˌfɪʃ/
ar · cher · fish
Plural:archerfish
archerfish Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
8
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
archerfish Game Scores & Validity
Scrabble US
Scrabble UK
WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
Any of several tropical and brackish-water fishes of the family Toxotidae, native to Asia and Oceania, known for their unique ability to accurately shoot down insect prey resting on overhanging foliage with a precisely aimed jet of water from their mouths.
Example
"At the aquarium, the children watched in amazement as the archerfish accurately struck a cricket suspended above its tank with a rapid spit of water."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Named for their hunting method of 'shooting' prey with a stream of water, likening their precision to that of a human archer firing an arrow.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Archerfish. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/archerfish