tropical fish

noun

: any of various small usually showy fishes of tropical origin often kept in a tropical aquarium

Examples of tropical fish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Nature lovers and families flock to Gumbo Limbo Nature Center for aquariums filled with tropical fish, a butterfly garden and a winding boardwalk through a canopy of trees. Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024 Located north of Tulum, near the village of Akumal, Yal-Ku is a brackish ecosystem brimming with tropical fish. Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2024 At Four Seasons Resort Lanai, enjoy a table for one and Japanese dishes at the cliffside Nobu Lana, and snorkel in the reef that’s teeming with tropical fish and green sea turtles. Brittany Anas, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 Hanauma Bay continues to top Hawaii travel activity lists for its calm waters and easily spotted marine life, like sea turtles and tropical fish. Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2024 Lionfish on the menu As the Mediterranean has warmed due to climate change, invasive tropical fish such as lionfish have swum in via the Suez Canal. Nell Lewis, CNN, 24 Apr. 2023 Geological formations and a variety of coral, tropical fish, sharks, shrimp, and unique marine life make up the site’s main attractions. Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 25 Sep. 2023 Explore the shoreline in a canoe or kayak or take a three-hour glass-bottom boat tour to see dolphins, tropical fish and sea turtles cavorting near the coral reefs. Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 The cave and surrounding extensions of reefs hold incredible wildlife, including tropical fish, manta rays, and even an occasional shark. Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tropical fish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tropical fish was in 1931

Dictionary Entries Near tropical fish

Cite this Entry

“Tropical fish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tropical%20fish. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tropical fish

noun
: any of various small usually brightly colored fishes that occur wild especially in the tropics and are often kept in tropical aquariums

More from Merriam-Webster on tropical fish

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