Search Dictionary
Definition of oscar fish
oscar fish
Plural:oscar fish
oscar fish Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
7
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A large, highly intelligent freshwater cichlid fish (Astronotus ocellatus) native to the Amazon basin in South America, popular in the aquarium trade but known for its aggressive and territorial behavior.
Example
"Because the oscar fish grows quite large and tends to eat smaller tank mates, it requires a spacious aquarium and careful species pairing."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for oscar fish• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The common name 'oscar' is of uncertain origin, though it has been used in the aquarium trade since the mid-20th century to refer to the species Astronotus ocellatus, derived from Greek 'astra' (ray) and 'noton' (back).
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Oscar fish. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/oscar fish