garfish Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun primitive predaceous North American fish covered with hard scales and having long jaws with needlelike teeth
garpike; billfish; gar; Lepisosteus osseus.

See Gar, n.

(Zoöl.) (a) A European marine fish (Belone vulgaris); -- called also gar, gerrick, greenback, greenbone, gorebill, hornfish, longnose, mackerel guide, sea needle, and sea pike. (b) One of several species of similar fishes of the genus Tylosurus, of which one species (T. marinus) is common on the Atlantic coast. T. Caribbæus, a very large species, and T. crassus, are more southern; -- called also needlefish. Many of the common names of the European garfish are also applied to the American species.