butterfly fish

butterfly fish

n.

1. Any of various small, brightly colored tropical marine fishes of the family Chaetodontidae, having deep flattened bodies and a single dorsal fin.

2. Any of various fishes with broad winglike fins.

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butterfly fish

n

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) any small tropical marine percoid fish of the genera Chaetodon, Chelmon, etc., that has a deep flattened brightly coloured body and brushlike teeth: family Chaetodontidae See also angelfish [1]

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but′terfly fish` or but′ter•fly•fish`,
n.

any of various colored tropical fishes of the family Chaetodontidae, having deep, narrow bodies and darting movements suggestive of a butterfly.

[1735–45]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

butterfly fish - small usually brilliantly colored tropical marine fishes having narrow deep bodies with large broad fins; found worldwide percoid, percoid fish, percoidean - any of numerous spiny-finned fishes of the order Perciformes Chaetodontidae, family Chaetodontidae - butterfly fishes chaetodon - any fish of the genus Chaetodon angelfish - a butterfly fish of the genus Pomacanthus Holocanthus tricolor, rock beauty - gold and black butterflyfish found from West Indies to Brazil