sawfish

noun

saw·​fish ˈsȯ-ˌfish How to pronounce sawfish (audio)
: any of a family (Pristidae) of large elongate rays that resemble sharks but have a long flattened snout with a row of serrate structures along each edge and that live in tropical and subtropical shallow seas and in or near the mouths of rivers

Examples of sawfish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The challenge, however, is finding out where sawfish populations remain —and in what numbers. Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 This was one of the reasons researchers believed sharks and other cartilaginous fish, including stingrays and sawfish, were silent. Christopher Cann, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2025 Six sawfish deaths were reported in this recent outbreak. Curt Anderson, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2025 Florida prohibits intentionally capturing, harming or harassing sawfish. Curt Anderson, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sawfish

Word History

First Known Use

1635, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sawfish was in 1635

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Cite this Entry

“Sawfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sawfish. Accessed 27 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

sawfish

noun
saw·​fish ˈsȯ-ˌfish How to pronounce sawfish (audio)
: any of several mostly tropical rays that resemble sharks but have a long flat snout with sharp toothlike structures along both edges

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