rockfish
rockfish Lexical Profile
rockfish Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American Any of numerous bottom-dwelling marine fishes of the family Scorpaenidae (genus Sebastes) found primarily in the North Pacific Ocean, frequently caught for commercial food and sport.
"The charter boat captain steered us toward a deep reef where we hoped to catch some Pacific rockfish for dinner."
American The striped bass (Morone saxatilis), a popular silvery sport fish with dark horizontal stripes, particularly when found in the Chesapeake Bay and Mid-Atlantic coastal waters.
"Anglers line the shores of the Chesapeake Bay every spring in search of the prized rockfish."
Word Nuance & Usage
In the United States, 'rockfish' is highly regional: on the Pacific coast, it refers to numerous species of the genus Sebastes, while in the Mid-Atlantic (particularly around the Chesapeake Bay), it refers exclusively to the striped bass.
• Rhymes for rockfish
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the mid-17th century, formed as a compound of 'rock' and 'fish', referring to the habitat of these bottom-dwelling species that favor rocky reefs and structures.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.