angelfish
noun
an·gel·fish
ˈān-jəl-ˌfish 
1
: any of several laterally compressed brightly colored bony fishes (family Pomacanthidae) of warm seas
2
: a black and silver laterally compressed South American cichlid fish (Pterophyllum scalare) popular in aquariums
called also scalare
Examples of angelfish in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Beneath the surface, angelfish shimmer and stingrays glide over kaleidoscopic reefs, while sea fans sway in the gentle current.
—
Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
The angelfish were girls but also projections; an audience but also an idealized self.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
At Looe, an hour spent floating above colorful parrotfish, angelfish and barracuda brings time to a near-standstill.
—Marnie Hunter, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2025
During a stay, guests can embark on an expedition to nearby El Cielo—a natural sandbar that’s renowned for its stellar snorkeling opportunities—and marvel at native Caribbean wildlife spanning from the gray angelfish to the foureye butterflyfish.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024
Dive into the warm waters of the Blue Lagoon (Lagoa Azul) to swim with seahorses, ogle underwater coves, and follow a turtle or angelfish through a sunken jungle.
—Melissa Locker, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2024
This image provided by the Denver Zoo on Monday, Sept. 4, 2023, shows a CT scan of a French angelfish.
—CBS News, 5 Sep. 2023
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Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
The angelfish were girls but also projections; an audience but also an idealized self.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
At Looe, an hour spent floating above colorful parrotfish, angelfish and barracuda brings time to a near-standstill.
—Marnie Hunter, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2025
During a stay, guests can embark on an expedition to nearby El Cielo—a natural sandbar that’s renowned for its stellar snorkeling opportunities—and marvel at native Caribbean wildlife spanning from the gray angelfish to the foureye butterflyfish.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024
Dive into the warm waters of the Blue Lagoon (Lagoa Azul) to swim with seahorses, ogle underwater coves, and follow a turtle or angelfish through a sunken jungle.
—Melissa Locker, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2024
This image provided by the Denver Zoo on Monday, Sept. 4, 2023, shows a CT scan of a French angelfish.
—CBS News, 5 Sep. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Angelfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/angelfish. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
angelfish
noun
an·gel·fish
ˈān-jəl-ˌfish
1
: any of several brightly colored bony fishes that are very thin from side to side and live in warm seas
2
: a similarly thin black and silver South American fish popular in aquariums
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