Saint Peter's fish

noun

Saint Pe·ter's fish

-ˈpētə(r)z-

: john dory

Word History

Etymology

after St. Peter †ab67, one of Jesus' disciples, regarded as the founder of the Church of Rome; so called from the legend that the dark spot on each side of a John Dory is due to Peter's having removed a coin from the mouth of a fish of this species to pay a tax (Matthew 17:27)

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Style

“Saint Peter's fish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Saint%20Peter%27s%20fish. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

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