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buffalo fish

buffalo fish

8.9
A large fresh water fish with a mouth like a sucker from the Mississippi valley
  • noun
  • /ˈbʌf.ə.loʊ fɪʃ/
  • US
translation icon : pez búfalo
  • The buffalo fish is commonly found in the rivers and lakes of the Mississippi valley.

Examples

  • Many Native American tribes historically relied on the buffalo fish as a food source.

  • Fishermen prize the buffalo fish for its size and fighting spirit.

  • The buffalo fish swam gracefully in the river.

  • Many anglers enjoy catching buffalo fish for sport.

  • Fishermen prize the buffalo fish for its size and fighting spirit.

  • Many Native American tribes historically relied on the buffalo fish as a food source.

  • The buffalo fish is commonly found in the rivers and lakes of the Mississippi valley.

Synonyms

buffalofish
vsbuffalo fish
  • Specialized
9.9

A large freshwater fish found in North American rivers and lakes

is the two-word or standard form with the same species meaning
Ictiobus
vsbuffalo fish
  • Specialized
9.9

A large fish from North American rivers with a humped back

means individual species within that genus rather than the whole group

Surface Forms

buffalo fish singular
buffalo fishes plural

Morphology

buffalo + fish

The compound 'buffalo fish' is a straightforward noun-noun combination meaning a kind of fish; a B1 learner who knows 'buffalo' and 'fish' can reasonably infer it refers to a species of fish (likely large or named for resemblance). This compositional naming pattern is common cross-linguistically and does not require idiomatic knowledge, so its meaning is transparent.

Etymology

Buffalo fish may come from the fish's big, rounded head and heavy body that looked like a buffalo. That's why people used the word buffalo for this large freshwater fish found in the Mississippi valley.