ocean sunfish

7.0

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

noun
/ˈoʊʃən sʌnˌfɪʃ/

: pez luna

Examples

So I thought ocean sunfish heaviest Bony fish, their otolis will be like pancakes, but I was wrong.
In turn, jellies are eaten by sea turtles, ocean sunfish, and seabirds.

Academic text (2003)
The ocean sunfish is one of the largest bony fish, often seen basking near the surface of warm waters.
Scientists are studying the ocean sunfish to understand its unique swimming style and large size.
While snorkeling, we spotted an ocean sunfish gliding gracefully through the clear blue water.

Synonyms

sunfish

vsocean sunfish

1 5.9

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

is the specific common name for that exact fish rather than a broader group

mola

vsocean sunfish

1 9.9

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

is the common name used interchangeably rather than a different label

headfish

vsocean sunfish

9.8

A very large sea fish with a flat round body that rests near the surface

is the common name rather than an alternative label

Surface Forms

ocean sunfish singular

ocean sunfishes plural

Morphology

ocean + sunfish

The compound is directly compositional: an 'ocean sunfish' is simply a sunfish associated with the ocean. This noun+noun naming pattern is common and follows straightforward referential logic, so a B1 learner who knows 'ocean' and 'sunfish' will readily infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Ocean sunfish comes from the giant, flat fish often seen floating at the sea surface as if 'resting' in the sun, so people called it a sunfish. The word ocean was added to show it lives in the sea, which is why the name means 'a very large, flat-bodied fish found in warm oceans'.