goby

1 of 2

noun

go·​by ˈgō-bē 

plural gobies also goby

: any of numerous spiny-finned fishes (family Gobiidae) that usually have the pelvic fins united to form a ventral sucking disk

Illustration of goby

go by

2 of 2

verb

went by; gone by; going by; goes by

intransitive verb

: pass sense 3b

as time goes by

Examples of goby in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Even still, this past week’s rainstorms threatened to send loads of sediment down the mountains into the waters where the little gobies live. —Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2025

The discovery comes just weeks after another new goby species was identified nearby in a June 24 study, McClatchy News reported. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 11 July 2024

Verb

During the pandemic, Parson, who goes by the moniker Fearless Jack Rabbit, channeled his passion for art into an unexpected form of connection. —Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 25 Jan. 2025

Splashin' Around Nadya Suleman (who now goes by Natalie) welcomed octuplets in 2009, and after a brief moment of notoriety, has mostly retreated from the spotlight to raise her 14 children — while occasionally sharing updates on their milestones. —Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 24 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin gobius gudgeon, from Greek kōbios

First Known Use

Noun

1769, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1508, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

goby

noun

go·​by ˈgō-bē 

plural gobies also goby

: any of numerous spiny-finned fishes that often have the pelvic fins united to form a sucking disk