spadefish
spadefish Lexical Profile
spadefish Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A deep-bodied, laterally compressed marine fish of the family Ephippidae, typically found in shallow coastal waters of the western Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, recognizable by its silvery body and dark vertical bands.
"Scuba divers frequently encounter large schools of Atlantic spadefish circling near artificial reefs and sunken shipwrecks."
Any of various similarly shaped, deep-bodied marine fishes found in warm and tropical seas worldwide, often associating with reefs or floating debris.
"The angler was surprised to reel in a spadefish while drifting bait over the rocky bottom."
Word Origin & Etymology
Late 19th century: from the word 'spade' (referring to its deep, flat, laterally compressed body resembling the blade of a spade or the suit of cards) + 'fish'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.