sandfish

noun

1

: either of two small silvery scaleless fishes of the north Pacific that constitute the family Trichodontidae and burrow in the sand

2

: a small grayish brown or blue striped fish (Diplectrum formosum) that frequents sand shores

3

: sand eel sense 2

4

: an elongated cylindrical marine fish (genus Gonorhynchus) that has a short barbel under the chin, lives over sandy bottoms, and burrows freely in the sand

called also beaked salmon

Word History

Etymology

sand entry 1 + fish

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!