Halibut definition
Any of several large edible flatfishes of the genus Hippoglossus and related genera, of northern Atlantic or Pacific waters.
noun
Any of a genus (Hippoglossus, family Pleuronectidae) of large, edible flounders found in northern seas, esp. the Atlantic species (H. hippoglossus), which may exceed 45 kg (c. 100 lb)
noun
A large flatfish of the genus Hippoglossus, which sometimes leaves the ocean floor and swims vertically.
noun
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Other Word Forms
Noun
Singular:
halibut
Plural:
halibutsOrigin of halibut
-
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- From Middle English haly (“holy”) + obsolete butt (“flatfish”), since the fish was often eaten on holy days.
From Wiktionary