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Glite Dictionary
filefish

filefish

1 9.1
A narrow flat fish in warm water with rough leathery skin and a long file-like spine on its back
  • noun
  • /ˈfaɪlˌfɪʃ/
: pez filete
  • With its rough skin and unique shape, the filefish is easily distinguished from other reef fish.

Examples

  • The filefish swam gracefully through the coral reef.

  • The diver spotted a colorful filefish hiding among the coral reefs.

  • Several species of filefish are kept by marine aquarium enthusiasts.

  • Have you ever seen a filefish in an aquarium?

  • The narrow filefish swam gracefully through the vibrant coral reef.

  • At the aquarium, we saw a filefish with a distinctive long dorsal spine.

  • The diver spotted a filefish hiding among the rocks in the warm water.

Synonyms

Monocanthidae
vsfilefish
  • Specialized
9.9

A family of sea fish with rough, sandpapery skin and flat bodies

is a specific narrow, flattened warm-water fish in that family

Surface Forms

filefish singular
filefishes plural

Morphology

filefish = file + fish (transparent) = file + fish

The compound is a straightforward combination of 'file' and 'fish' meaning a fish characterized by file-like (rough) skin, so learners who know both bases can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Filefish begins with file, which means 'a tool for scraping', like a nail file. The fish has rough, sandpapery skin and a long, file-like spine, so the name helps you remember its rough, flattened body.