blackfish

Meanings

Plural: blackfish, blackfishes

Noun

• large dark-colored food fish of the Atlantic coast of North America
• female salmon that has recently spawned
• small dark-colored whale of the Atlantic coast of the United States; the largest male acts as pilot or leader for the school
• An Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, especially a female after spawning.
• Any of various dark-coloured fish of the Old World, especially the rudderfish (Centrolophus niger).
• A pilot whale (Globicephalus spp.) and occasionally also used for various other whales).
• Either of two dark-coloured fish of the west Atlantic, the tautog of New England (Tautoga onitis) and the black sea bass (Centropristis striata).
• Any of various dark-coloured fishes of Australasia, especially the luderick (Girella tricuspidata), and a freshwater fish, Gadopsis marmoratus.

Verb

• To go fishing for blackfish.
• To adopt signifiers of black identity (for example, by darkening the skin, or wearing traditionally black hairstyles).

Synonyms

black whale, common blackfish, Globicephala melaena, pilot whale, tautog, Tautoga onitis

Related Words

blaccent, blackface, catfish, wokefish