sunfish

American  

[suhn-fish] / ˈsʌnˌfɪʃ /

noun

plural

sunfish,

plural

sunfishes

1. the ocean sunfish, Mola mola.

2. any of various other fishes of the family Molidae.

3. any of several small, brightly colored, spiny-rayed freshwater fishes of the genus Lepomis, of North America, having a deep, compressed body.

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sunfish British  

/ ˈsʌnˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. any large plectognath fish of the family Molidae, of temperate and tropical seas, esp Mola mola, which has a large rounded compressed body, long pointed dorsal and anal fins, and a fringelike tail fin

2. any of various small predatory North American freshwater percoid fishes of the family Centrarchidae, typically having a compressed brightly coloured body

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Etymology

Origin of sunfish

First recorded in 1620–30; sun + fish

Example Sentences

Mai Kato, a staff member, told Mainichi Shimbun that the sunfish, which arrived at the aquarium a year ago, had a "curious" personality and "would swim up to visitors when they approached the tank".

From BBC • Jan. 20, 2025

“The ocean sunfish will actually kind of put their heads out of the water as they eat these. It resembles Pac-Man eating pellets,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2024

It’s the latest tactic in an ongoing struggle to keep non-native smallmouth bass and green sunfish at bay below the Glen Canyon Dam and to protect a threatened native fish, the humpback chub.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 18, 2023

Despite the fish’s death, it is heartening to see that sunfish can currently survive to reach such a massive size in the wild, Thys says.

From Scientific American • Oct. 20, 2022

Included among these fish were sunfish and bass, which of course are favorites of anglers and commonly find their way to the dinner table.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

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