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bony fish
noun
: any of a major taxon (class Osteichthyes or superclass Teleostomi) comprising fishes (such as sturgeons, eels, mackerels, and sunfish) with a bony rather than a cartilaginous skeleton
called also teleost
compare cartilaginous fish, jawless fishExamples of bony fish in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ocean sunfish, or mola, are the heaviest of all the bony fish, weighing up to 5,000 pounds and growing to be 10 feet long, according to National Geographic.
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Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2025
In most bony fish, or teleosts, motor neurons for fins are found on the sides (ventrolateral zone) of the underside (ventral horn) of the spinal cord.
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Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 30 Dec. 2024
Atlantic cownose rays possess tile-like teeth ideal for crushing crustaceans, mollusks, small invertebrates, and bony fish.
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Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2024
Shortfin makos have been known to hunt small sharks, porpoises, sea turtles, seabirds, bony fish and cephalopods.
—
Ashley Strickland, CNN, 6 Sep. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1673, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near bony fish
Cite this Entry
“Bony fish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bony%20fish. Accessed 15 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
bony fish
noun
: any of a class of fishes (as eels, mackerels, and trout) with bony rather than cartilaginous skeletons
More from Merriam-Webster on bony fish
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bony fish
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