angelfish

noun

an·​gel·​fish ˈān-jəl-ˌfish How to pronounce angelfish (audio)
1
: any of several laterally compressed brightly colored bony fishes (family Pomacanthidae) of warm seas
2
: a black and silver laterally compressed South American cichlid fish (Pterophyllum scalare) popular in aquariums

called also scalare

Examples of angelfish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Larsson looked like an angelfish in the light, wearing a flowy purple two-piece that bared her midriff, as the tabloids used to say. — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026 Parrotfish, angelfish, and thick shoals of bluestripe snappers colored the reef. — Betsy Andrews, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2025 Lyra donned her purple-and-pink mask, exclaiming at the colorful angelfish darting between her legs. — Brianna Randall, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026 Hundreds of striped angelfish and iridescent parrotfish schooled through the water in rippling clouds, scales flashing. — Julie Orringer, Travel + Leisure, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for angelfish

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of angelfish was in 1613

Rhymes for angelfish

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Browse Nearby Words

Angel Falls
angelfish
angel food cake
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Cite this Entry

“Angelfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/angelfish. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

angelfish

noun
an·​gel·​fish ˈān-jəl-ˌfish How to pronounce angelfish (audio)
1
: any of several brightly colored bony fishes that are very thin from side to side and live in warm seas
2
: a similarly thin black and silver South American fish popular in aquariums

More from Merriam-Webster on angelfish

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about angelfish

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