jewfish
jewfish Lexical Profile
jewfish Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Australian A large, silvery marine and estuarine fish of the drum family, highly regarded by anglers in Australia and New Zealand.
"We spent the evening on the Hawkesbury River, hoping to catch a large jewfish for the weekend barbecue."
North American A large marine fish of the grouper family, primarily the Atlantic goliath grouper, found in shallow tropical waters among coral and artificial reefs.
"Historically, coastal anglers would frequently catch massive jewfish near the Florida Keys before conservation efforts and name changes took effect."
Word Nuance & Usage
The term is widely considered culturally insensitive in North America; in 2001, the American Fisheries Society officially changed the species' common name to 'goliath grouper'.
• Rhymes for jewfish
Word Origin & Etymology
The origin is debated; it may be a corruption of 'jawfish' (due to its large mouth) or 'jewelfish', though it could also stem from historical associations with Jewish kosher dietary laws or 19th-century cultural prejudices.