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Definition of goosefish

goosefish

/ˈɡuːs.fɪʃ/
goose · fish
Plural:goosefishes
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goosefish Lexical Profile

goosefish Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A large, bottom-dwelling anglerfish (family Lophiidae) native to the coasts of the North Atlantic, characterized by a massive, flattened head, an extraordinarily wide mouth, and a modified dorsal fin spine used as a lure to attract prey.

Example

"The trawler inadvertently pulled up a giant goosefish while dragging nets along the sandy seafloor off the coast of Maine."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for goosefish

Word Nuance & Usage

In culinary and commercial markets, the tail meat of the goosefish is almost universally sold under the more appetizing name 'monkfish'.

• Nearby Words

gooseberry
goosebump
goosebumps
goosefish
gooseflesh
gooseneck
goosey

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in English as a compound of 'goose' and 'fish', purportedly because of early folklore claiming the fish's mouth was large enough to swallow a whole swimming goose.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

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