lanternfish

or lan·tern fish

[ lan-tern-fish ]

noun

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

1. any of several small, deep-sea fishes of the family Myctophidae, having rows of luminous organs along each side, certain species of which migrate to the surface at night.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lanternfish¹

First recorded in 1745–55; lantern + fish