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Definition of opaleye

opaleye

/ˈoʊ.pəlˌaɪ/
o · pal · eye
Plural:opaleyes
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opaleye Lexical Profile

• noun

1

North American A medium-sized marine fish (Girella nigricans) native to the coastal waters and kelp forests of the northeastern Pacific Ocean, particularly off California and Baja California, distinguished by its bright, opalescent blue-green eyes.

Example

"While snorkeling through the kelp forest off the coast of Catalina Island, the marine biologist spotted an opaleye grazing on the algae."

• Nearby Words

opah
opal
opalescent
opaleye
opaque
opaquely
opaqueness

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from the English words 'opal' and 'eye', referring directly to the fish's distinctive iridescent, blue-green eyes.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

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