halibut

American  

[hal-uh-buht, hol-] / ˈhæl ə bət, ˈhɒl- /

noun

plural

halibut,

plural

halibuts

1. either of two large flatfishes, Hippoglossus hippoglossus, of the North Atlantic, or H. stenolepis, of the North Pacific, used for food.

2. any of various other similar flatfishes.

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halibut British  

/ ˈhɒlɪbət, ˈhælɪbət /

noun

1. the largest flatfish: a dark green North Atlantic species, Hippoglossus hippoglossus, that is a very important food fish: family Pleuronectidae

2. any of several similar and related flatfishes, such as Reinhardtius hippoglossoides ( Greenland halibut )

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Etymology

Origin of halibut

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English halybutte, equivalent to haly (variant of holy ) + butte “flat fish” (from Middle Dutch ); so called because eaten on holy days. Compare Dutch heilbot, German Heilbutt

Example Sentences

For a decade, the combination of Danish subsidies, infrastructure investment and rising global prices for halibut, cod and shrimp have helped keep the economy ticking over.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

My Kansas City Strip, billed as 38-day dry-aged American Wagyu, wasn’t quite what I expected, but the pan-roasted halibut with spring pea risotto more than made up for it.

From Salon • Sep. 3, 2025

He took loads of halibut and abalone off the La Costa Beach.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 12, 2025

For its owner, Greenlandic company Polar Seafoods, which sells shrimps, crab and halibut, shorter and direct flights mean new business possibilities.

From BBC • Oct. 20, 2024

The woman's face had turned white as snow and her mouth was opening and shutting like a halibut out of water and giving out a series of strangled gasps.

From "Matilda" by Roald Dahl