butterflyfish

B3U1T1T1E1R1F4L1Y4F4I1S1H4

noun

Any of a group of conspicuous tropical marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae; the bannerfish and coralfish are also included in this group. Butterflyfish are fairly small, mostly from 12 to 22 cm (c.7-9 in) in length.

Similar
flying gurnardflying robin
UncommonScrabble 27
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Meanings

nounbutterflyfish (plural butterflyfishes or butterflyfish)

plural butterflyfishes

  1. Any of a group of conspicuous tropical marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae; the bannerfish and coralfish are also included in this group. Butterflyfish are fairly small, mostly from 12 to 22 cm (c.7-9 in) in length.

Synonyms & antonyms

nountropical fish with huge fanlike pectoral fins for underwater gliding; unrelated to searobins

Similar
flying gurnardflying robin
Broader
scorpaenoidscorpaenoid fish
Also see
flying gurnard

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From butterfly + fish, from their butterfly-like appearance and bright colours.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 蝴蝶魚 /蝴蝶鱼
  • 蝴蝶魚 /蝴蝶鱼 (húdiéyú)tropical marine fish
French poisson-papillon
  • poisson-papillontropical marine fish
German Falterfisch
  • Falterfischtropical marine fish
Italian pesce farfalla
  • pesce farfallatropical marine fish
Japanese チョウチョウウオ
  • チョウチョウウオ (chōchōuo)tropical marine fish
Korean 나비고기
  • 나비고기 (nabigogi)tropical marine fish
Polish ustnik
  • ustniktropical marine fish
Russian щетинозу́б, ры́ба-ба́бочка
  • щетинозу́б (ščetinozúb)tropical marine fish
  • ры́ба-ба́бочка (rýba-bábočka)tropical marine fish
Spanish pez mariposa
  • pez mariposatropical marine fish
Cite this entry
APA

butterflyfish. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/butterflyfish

MLA

“butterflyfish.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/butterflyfish. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “butterflyfish,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/butterflyfish.

Source: butterflyfish on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.