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Definition of hawkfish

hawkfish

/ˈhɔːk.fɪʃ/
hawk · fish
Plural:hawkfishes
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hawkfish Lexical Profile

hawkfish Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Any of various small, predominantly tropical marine fishes of the family Cirrhitidae, found mostly in the Indo-Pacific oceans, characterized by their habit of perching motionless on corals or rocks and darting out to capture small crustaceans and other fish.

Example

"While scuba diving over the reef, we spotted a brightly colored longnose hawkfish resting motionless on a branch of black coral."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for hawkfish

• Nearby Words

hawfinch
hawk
hawkesbury
hawkfish
hawksbill sea turtle
hawksbill turtle
hawkweed

Word Origin & Etymology

A compound of 'hawk' and 'fish', named for their predatory behavior of perching on coral outcroppings and swooping down on smaller prey, much like a hunting hawk.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Hawkfish. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/hawkfish
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