lionfish

noun

li·​on·​fish ˈlī-ən-ˌfish How to pronounce lionfish (audio)
: any of several scorpaenid fishes (genus Pterois) of the Indian Ocean and the tropical Pacific that are brilliantly striped and barred with elongated fins and venomous dorsal spines

Examples of lionfish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Guests can also participate in a range of environmental programs including coastline cleanups, recycling efforts, and reef protection activity that includes going fishing for destructive lionfish—and then enjoying a meal cooked with it. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026 One painting might look like water rippling in a pond, another like the roots of a tree, and another like a lionfish. — Alyssa N. Salcedo, jsonline.com, 10 Aug. 2026 For example, the lionfish was first recorded in the eastern Mediterranean in 2012 and has expanded rapidly westward. — ABC News, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for lionfish

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lionfish was in 1848

Rhymes for lionfish

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Browse Nearby Words

lionet
lionfish
Lion, Gulf of
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Cite this Entry

“Lionfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lionfish. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on lionfish

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lionfish

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