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Glite Dictionary
muttonfish

muttonfish

9.9
A fish like a red snapper often sold under that name
  • noun
  • /ˈmʌtənˌfɪʃ/
  • US
translation icon : pescado mutton
  • Locally caught muttonfish are often sold in markets as red snapper.

Examples

  • The chef recommended grilling the muttonfish to bring out its delicate flavor.

  • Overfishing has led to stricter regulations on harvesting muttonfish in some regions.

  • I ordered muttonfish at the restaurant.

  • Have you ever tried muttonfish?

  • Locally caught muttonfish are often sold in markets as red snapper.

  • The chef recommended grilling the muttonfish to bring out its delicate flavor.

  • Overfishing has led to stricter regulations on harvesting muttonfish in some regions.

Synonyms

snapper
vsmuttonfish
10 6.6

A large sea fish with sharp teeth often caught for food and sport

is narrower, referring to a market name for certain of those species
red snapper
vsmuttonfish
  • US
5 3.3

A reddish sea fish often served as food in restaurants

is a broader market label including that species and lookalikes
mutton snapper
vsmuttonfish
  • US
7.3

A medium-sized red sea fish from the Atlantic that people sell for food

is a market name used for similar species rather than one exact species
Lutjanus analis
vsmuttonfish
  • Specialized
9.9

A sea fish like a red snapper that lives near reefs in the western Atlantic Ocean

is a market name used for similar species rather than one exact species
yellowtail snapper
vsmuttonfish
  • US
6.8

A bright fish with a wide yellow stripe along its side and tail that people eat

is a market term that groups similar species, not only this striped fish

Surface Forms

muttonfish singular
muttonfishes plural

Morphology

muttonfish = mutton + fish (semi-transparent) = mutton + fish

The components 'mutton' and 'fish' are obvious, but the specific referent (a particular snapper species or fish marketed as 'red snapper') is a lexicalized name not predictable from the parts.

Etymology

Muttonfish combines mutton ('sheep meat') and fish. People likely named it this because its flesh is rich and 'meaty' or because sellers treated it like red snapper, so the name points to the fish's strong, meat-like flavour and market use.