devilfish

[ dev-uhl-fish ]

noun

, plural (especially collectively) dev·il·fish, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) dev·il·fish·es.

1. manta ( def 4 ).
2. octopus ( def 1 ).

devilfish

/ ˈdɛvəlˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. Also calleddevil ray another name for manta
2. another name for octopus

Word History and Origins

Origin of devilfish¹

First recorded in 1700–10; devil + fish

Example Sentences

Trapping wild devilfish could support modest demand, he says, but to scale up, they might ultimately need to be farmed—carefully.

From Scientific American

“You mean devilfish? I didn’t know there was any there. I’ve lived here all my life.”

From Literature

I tried to drag the devilfish out of the water, but my strength was gone.

From Literature

I saw there a “witches’ scene” of an old Indian woman boiling devilfish or octopus in a kettle over a campfire, splendidly lit against the gloom of night, and all reflected in the water.

From Project Gutenberg

An overturned stump with bleaching roots appears like a hideous devilfish with arms ready to entwine and crush.

From Project Gutenberg