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Glite Dictionary
headfish

headfish

9.8
A very large sea fish with a flat round body that rests near the surface
  • noun
  • /ˈhɛdˌfɪʃ/
translation icon : mola
  • The headfish is famous for its unusual, flattened body shape.

Examples

  • Divers spotted a massive headfish swimming near the coral reef.

  • Many tourists come to the bay in hopes of seeing a headfish basking at the surface.

  • The headfish is known for its unique shape.

  • Many divers dream of seeing a headfish in the wild.

  • Many tourists come to the bay in hopes of seeing a headfish basking at the surface.

  • Divers spotted a massive headfish swimming near the coral reef.

  • The headfish is famous for its unusual, flattened body shape.

Synonyms

sunfish
vsheadfish
1 5.9

A very large ocean fish with a round flat body and tall fins that lives in warm seas

is described as more oval in body shape rather than round
mola
vsheadfish
1 9.9

A very large flat ocean fish with tall fins often seen near the surface

is the common English name used for the same species
ocean sunfish
vsheadfish
7.0

A very large round flat sea fish with tall fins and a short tail that lives in warm oceans

is the alternative name used interchangeably for the same species

Surface Forms

headfish singular
headfishes plural

Morphology

headfish = head + fish (semi-transparent) = head + fish

Formally a clear compound of 'head' + 'fish', but the term denotes a specific species (ocean sunfish) so the exact referent is not fully predictable from components.

Etymology

Headfish comes from the two English parts head and fish, so it literally means a 'head-like fish'. A helpful way to remember it is to picture a very large, round fish that looks almost like a 'floating head', which is why people often call it the ocean sunfish.