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Definition of orange roughy
orange roughy
Plural:orange roughies
orange roughy Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
7
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A large, slow-growing deep-sea fish (Hoplostethus atlanticus) found in cold global waters, notably off New Zealand and Australia, characterized by a bright orange-red body and highly valued as a mild-tasting commercial food fish.
Example
"Because of its exceptionally long lifespan and late maturity, the orange roughy is highly vulnerable to deep-water overfishing."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for orange roughy• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Originally known by the unappetizing name 'slimehead' due to the mucus-producing canals on its head, the fish was rebranded as 'orange roughy' in the 1970s for commercial marketing purposes. The name refers to its bright orange-red color after capture and its noticeably rough, spiky scales.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Orange roughy. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/orange roughy