silverfish

[ sil-ver-fish ]

noun

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

1. a white or silvery goldfish, Carassius auratus.
2. any of various other silvery fishes, as the tarpon, silversides, or shiner.
3. a wingless, silvery-gray thysanuran insect, Lepisma saccharina, that feeds on starch, damaging books, wallpaper, etc.

silverfish

/ ˈsɪlvəˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. a silver variety of the goldfish Carassius auratus
2. any of various other silvery fishes, such as the moonfish Monodactylus argenteus
3. any of various small primitive wingless insects of the genus Lepisma, esp L. saccharina, that have long antennae and tail appendages and occur in buildings, feeding on food scraps, bookbindings, etc: order Thysanura (bristletails)

Word History and Origins

Origin of silverfish¹

First recorded in 1695–1705; silver + fish

Example Sentences

Her skittering silverfish of a play, a Pulitzer Prize winner in 2002, glints with meaning that refuses to stay put.

From New York Times

I opened up the windows to let the breeze in and blow out the smell of old air and silverfish.

From Literature

Dear Heloise: I have lived in my house for many years, and from time to time there seems to be all sorts of different sizes of silverfish.

From Washington Post

You imagine old ones laid out in forgotten display cases, nibbled by silverfish.

From New York Times

I think there’s still a draft of it in a box somewhere in the basement, moldering away, eaten by silverfish.

From New York Times