What does garfishes mean?
Garfishes are long, slender marine fish with silvery bodies, narrow pointed jaws, and streamlined bodies adapted for swimming near the surface. The name commonly refers to the common garfish, also widely known as the needlefish, although the term can cover related marine species. In standard English, the singular is garfish and the plural is garfishes. A garfish has a narrow, tooth-bearing mouth and a long, beak-like snout that gives it a spear-like profile. These fish occur in temperate and warmer coastal waters and sometimes leap clear of the water when startled or pursued by predators. They may appear in coastal fisheries and can be used as bait for larger game fish. The word is uncommon in everyday speech but familiar to marine biologists, anglers, and readers of regional food writing. It should not be confused with the freshwater gars common in parts of North America or with the unrelated word garnishes.
nounThe plural of garfish; a long, slender marine fish with a silvery body, pointed jaws, and a long, narrow snout, commonly called a needlefish.
- The plural form of garfish, a slender marine fish with a long, narrow body and pointed jaws.
"A school of garfishes glided just below the surface of the calm sea."
"Garfishes are often seen leaping from the water in calm coastal seas."
"Local fishermen used fresh garfishes as bait for larger fish."
The regular plural of garfish, with the -es ending because the singular ends in -sh.
"Several garfishes were visible beneath the pier."
A garfish wears its spear on its face—and may leap clean out of the water when startled.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does garfishes come from?
Garfish is a compound formed in Middle English from gar, meaning “spear,” and fish, a reference to the animal's long, spear-like jaws. The older element descends from Old English gār, “spear” or “pike,” which is also the source of gore in the sense of a spear or pointed weapon. The modern plural garfishes follows the regular English plural of a noun ending in -sh by adding -es.
Related word forms
How garfishes is actually used
Garfishes is the regular plural of garfish. The singular garfish is standard, although the name is sometimes used collectively in the same way as fish.
Easily confused with garfishes
In American English, gar usually refers to a freshwater fish of the family Lepisosteidae, whereas garfish usually refers to the slender marine fish commonly called a needlefish.
Garnishes are decorative or flavorful additions to food, while garfishes are fish.