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Glite Dictionary
🐟 A bright reef fish 🦶 A spa fish
doctor-fish

doctor-fish

5.4
A small freshwater fish that nibbles dead skin during spa pedicures
  • noun
  • /ˈdɑktər fɪʃ/
translation icon : pez doctor
  • She enjoyed a relaxing afternoon at the spa while the doctor-fish gently nibbled the dead skin from her feet.

Examples

  • Health inspectors warned that some doctor-fish spas might spread infections if hygiene is poor.

  • At the market she admired a small tank holding several lively doctor-fish nibbling skin gently.

  • She booked a doctor-fish spa pedicure in Istanbul to remove dead skin.

  • The doctor-fish nibbled gently on my feet.

  • Many people enjoy the doctor-fish treatment at spas.

  • After dipping her feet in the warm water, she watched the doctor-fish swim around and nibble her skin.

  • At the spa, customers often choose doctor-fish treatments to exfoliate their feet in a unique way.

Synonyms

doctorfish
vsdoctor-fish
  • Specialized
8.2

A small freshwater fish used in spas to eat dead skin from feet

is the hyphenated form of that same name

Surface Forms

doctor-fish singular
doctor-fishes plural

Morphology

doctor-fish = doctor + fish (semi-transparent) = doctor + fish

The compound is understandable as 'doctor' + 'fish' but the specific usage (a fish used in pedicures) is a cultural/technical sense that requires extra knowledge.

Etymology

Doctor-fish for the spa fish comes from how people use these small fish to 'treat' skin by gently nibbling dead skin. The doctor part means 'healer', so the name helps you remember that people use them like tiny doctors for skin care.