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pilot fish
noun
: a pelagic carangid fish (Naucrates ductor) that has dark vertical stripes and often swims in company with a shark
Examples of pilot fish in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Most of the attackers are just pilot fish, trying to outdo one another in being vicious in their sycophancy.
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Liz Smith, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2024
Youngblood plays Baby's best pal William, a quick-witted pilot fish who can be quite the jokester.
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Katie Campione, PEOPLE.com, 25 Mar. 2021
Not unlike sharks and the pilot fish that clean their teeth, the Kardashian family and the design duo Dolce & Gabbana have established a symbiotic relationship wherein everyone is benefiting.
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Rory Satran, WSJ, 26 Sep. 2022
As an attorney, Caplan thought of himself as a pilot fish.
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Elizabeth MacBride, Forbes, 4 June 2022
In the middle, a truck driven by Jeff Deese serves as a pilot fish for the tanker.
—
al, 28 Feb. 2022
That will be decided by the biggest of the big fish; the rest of us will follow, attaching like pilot fish.
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Richard E. Farley, Town & Country, 26 July 2015
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Word History
First Known Use
1592, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near pilot fish
Cite this Entry
“Pilot fish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pilot%20fish. Accessed 15 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
pilot fish
noun
: a fish with a narrow body and a widely forked tail that often swims near a shark
More from Merriam-Webster on pilot fish
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pilot fish
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