What is "garfish"

Garfish \Gar"fish`\, n. [See Gar, n.] (Zo["o]l.)

1. A European marine fish ( Belone vulgaris); -- called also gar, gerrick, greenback, greenbone, gorebill, hornfish, longnose, mackerel guide, sea needle, and sea pike.

2. One of several species of similar fishes of the genus Tylosurus, of which one species ( T. marinus) is common on the Atlantic coast. T. Caribb[ae]us, a very large species, and T. crassus, are more southern; -- called also needlefish. Many of the common names of the European garfish are also applied to the American species.

mid-15c., from gar + fish (n.).

n. 1 Any fish of the needlefish family ''(taxlink Belonidae family noshow=1)'', with a long narrow body and needle-shaped jaws, especially the European species (taxlink Belone belone species noshow=1). 2 Any North or Central American fish of the family ''(taxlink Lepisosteidae family noshow=1)''.

1. n. primitive predaceous North American fish covered with hard scales and having long jaws with needle-like teeth [syn: gar, garpike, billfish, Lepisosteus osseus]

2. [also: garfishes (pl)]

The garfish (Belone belone), or sea needle, is a pelagic, oceanodromous needlefish found in brackish and marine waters of the Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, Caribbean Sea and the Baltic Sea.