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Definition of unicornfish

unicornfish

/ˈjuːnɪkɔːrnfɪʃ/
u · ni · corn · fish
Plural:unicornfish
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unicornfish Lexical Profile

• noun

1

Any of several tropical marine surgeonfishes of the genus Naso, native primarily to the coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific oceans, characterized by a prominent bony horn-like appendage extending from the forehead.

Example

"While scuba diving near the Hawaiian coral reefs, the marine biology students observed a large bluespine unicornfish grazing on benthic algae."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for unicornfish

• Nearby Words

unibrow
unicolored
unicorn
unicornfish
unicycle
unicyclist
unideal

Word Origin & Etymology

A compound of 'unicorn' (from Latin 'unicornis', meaning one-horned) and 'fish'. The name refers to the distinctive, horn-like protrusion on the forehead of adult males in many species of this genus.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Unicornfish. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/unicornfish
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