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Glite Dictionary
jawfish

jawfish

1 9.6
A small tropical fish with a large mouth whose male keeps eggs in his mouth until they hatch
  • noun
  • /ˈdʒɔːfɪʃ/
: pez boca grande
  • The jawfish carefully guarded its eggs in its mouth until they hatched.

Examples

  • I did meet this jawfish who was very interested in me.

    Blog text (8)

  • And those jawfish!

    The Neptune Factor (1973)

  • In the aquarium, the vibrant colors of the jawfish captivated the visitors.

  • The male jawfish is known for carrying eggs in its mouth as part of its breeding behavior.

Synonyms

Opisthognathidae
vsjawfish
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of sea fish with large mouths that live in burrows

is a specific small tropical species kept in aquariums and mouthbroods eggs
family Opisthognathidae
vsjawfish
  • Specialized
9.9

Small sea fish with large mouths that live in holes in sand

is a narrower single fish type living in sandy bottoms and incubating eggs orally

Surface Forms

jawfish singular
jawfishes plural

Morphology

jawfish = jaw + fish (transparent) = jaw + fish

A straightforward compound of 'jaw' + 'fish' naming a fish notable for its jaw/mouth; meaning is directly inferable from the components.

Etymology

Jawfish is made from jaw ('mouth' or the bone that holds the teeth) and fish, because this small tropical fish has a very large mouth. That's why the name fits: males even carry eggs in their mouths until they hatch.