batfish

noun

bat·​fish ˈbat-ˌfish How to pronounce batfish (audio)
: any of several fishes with winglike processes
especially : any of a family (Ogcocephalidae of the order Lophiiformes) of flattened pediculate bony fishes

Illustration of batfish

Illustration of batfish

Examples of batfish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Anglerfish ancestors lived on the seafloor and maneuvered around using specialized stout fins, much like their close relatives the batfishes and frogfishes. — Danielle Hall, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Dec. 2024 Although the red-lipped batfish appears to have legs, its limb-like appendages are actually fins, which the creature uses to stand on and to check out its surroundings. — Courtney Linder, Popular Mechanics, 17 Aug. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1808, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of batfish was in 1808

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Cite this Entry

“Batfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/batfish. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about batfish

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