toadfish

[ tohd-fish ]

noun

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

1. any of several thick-headed, wide-mouthed fishes of the family Batrachoididae, as Opsanus tau oyster toadfish, or ugly toad, ranging along the Atlantic coast of the United States.
2. puffer ( def 2 ).

toadfish

/ ˈtəʊdˌfɪʃ /

noun

1. any spiny-finned bottom-dwelling marine fish of the family Batrachoididae, of tropical and temperate seas, having a flattened tapering body and a wide mouth

Word History and Origins

Origin of toadfish¹

First recorded in 1605–15; toad + fish

Example Sentences

At one point, the group discovers a plainfin midshipman, a member of the toadfish family, languid and big-lipped in the sunny shallow.

From Seattle Times

Other sounds are subtler, such as the rhythmic thumping that comes from an oyster toadfish’s swim bladder.

From Washington Post

The research began when Dr. Chagnaud, who studies the vibrating vocalizations of toadfish, wanted to compare the fish to rattlesnakes, which use similar muscles to rattle their tails.

From New York Times

Our most unusual sighting is a toadfish, a cantankerous-looking creature almost completely camouflaged in a rusty pocket of the wreck.

From Washington Post

Their children recalled weekends on Fire Island, where Dr. Salzinger often spent his time trying to train toadfish, rather than frolicking on the beach.

From New York Times