Word Study
garfish
CIDE DICTIONARY
A European marine fish (Belone vulgaris ); -- called also gar , gerrick , greenback , greenbone , gorebill , hornfish , longnose , mackerel guide , sea needle , and sea pike . [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
garfish, n. (pl. same)
1 any mainly marine fish of the family Belonidae, esp. Belone belone, having long beaklike jaws with sharp teeth. Also called NEEDLEFISH.
2 US any similar freshwater fish of the genus Lepisosteus, with ganoid scales. Also called GAR or GARPIKE.
3 NZ & Austral. either of two marine fish of the genus Hemiramphus. Also called HALFBEAK.
1 any mainly marine fish of the family Belonidae, esp. Belone belone, having long beaklike jaws with sharp teeth. Also called NEEDLEFISH.
2 US any similar freshwater fish of the genus Lepisosteus, with ganoid scales. Also called GAR or GARPIKE.
3 NZ & Austral. either of two marine fish of the genus Hemiramphus. Also called HALFBEAK.
Etymology
app. f. OE gar spear + fisc FISH(1)
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