Meanings
plural myctophids
- Any of the small deep-sea fish of the large family Myctophidae, known for their conspicuous use of bioluminescence.
You're a lucky guy to be eating anything right now. Instead you might easily be feeding the tunny fish and tarpon, to say nothing of the astronesthes and myctophids--
2021, Edward Stratemeyer, Don Sturdy on the Ocean Bottom1 more example
The astronesthes, or 'eater of the stars,' so called because it feeds entirely upon other 'star-lit' fish called myctophids, is not only endowed with a number of small, luminous organs upon its body, but its fins, and the greater part of its chin-barbels, also emit a bright light.
1933, Walter Sydney Berridge, All about Fish and Other Denizens of the Seas & Rivers, page 67Synonyms: lanternfish
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAny of the small deep-sea fish of the large family Myctophidae, known for their conspicuous use of bioluminescence.
Origin
- Ancient Greekμυκτήρ“nose”
- translingualMyctophidae
- Englishmyctophid
From translingual Myctophidae, from Ancient Greek μυκτήρ (muktḗr, “nose”) + ὄφις (óphis, “serpent”).
More words from translingual, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
myctophid. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/myctophid
“myctophid.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/myctophid. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “myctophid,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/myctophid.
Source: myctophid on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.