spearfish
spearfish Lexical Profile
spearfish Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To hunt or catch fish using a spear, speargun, or similar pointed weapon, typically while free-diving or scuba diving.
"While vacationing in the Mediterranean, they learned how to spearfish in the clear coastal waters."
• noun
Any of several large marine game fishes of the genus Tetrapturus in the billfish family, characterized by a slender body and a short, prominent spear-like upper jaw, native to tropical and subtropical oceans.
"During the deep-sea expedition off the coast of Hawaii, the angler managed to catch and release a rare shortbill spearfish."
Word Origin & Etymology
A compound of the words 'spear' and 'fish'. As a noun, it references the elongated, spear-like upper jaw characteristic of the billfish family; as a verb, it directly describes the action of hunting fish using a spear or speargun.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.