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Definition of goldfish

goldfish

/ˈɡoʊld.fɪʃ/
gold · fish
Plural:goldfish
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goldfish Lexical Profile

goldfish Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A small, commonly kept freshwater aquarium fish belonging to the carp family, originally domesticated in East Asia and selectively bred for its bright orange, red, or gold coloration.

Example

"The children were fascinated by the bright orange goldfish swimming in the glass bowl."

Photo by James St. John / CC BY 2.0
2

North American A popular brand of small, fish-shaped cheese crackers commonly eaten as a snack.

Example

"She packed a handful of goldfish in her toddler's lunchbox for an afternoon snack."

• Nearby Words

goldeye
goldfield
goldfinch
goldfish
goldilocks
goldish
goldminer

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in English in the late 17th century as a compound of 'gold' and 'fish', describing its typical metallic orange-gold coloration. The species was originally domesticated in ancient China from the Prussian carp.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Goldfish. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/goldfish
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