moonfish, noun

Origin:
Named for its silvery colour and oval body-shape.
Any of several marine and freshwater fishes: 1. Either of two marine and freshwater fishes of the Monodactylidae: a. Monodactylus falciformis; Cape lady sense 3. b. M. argenteus. 2. The marine fish Trachinotus botla of the Carangidae. In all senses also called moony.
1905 Natal Mercury Pictorial 339 (Pettman)The fish photo this week is that of a moon-fish...It is a bluish silvery fish without scales and grows to a weight of about 3 lb.
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 325Moon fish, Psettus falciformis. The name appears to be applied to a different fish in Natal.
1930 C.L. Biden Sea-Angling Fishes 54Natal moonfish — Trachynotus ovatus (Linn.).
1949 J.L.B. Smith Sea Fishes of Sn Afr. 233Monodactylus falciformis Lacepede..Cape Lady (Knysna). Moon-fish. Moony. Kite-fish. Sea-kite (Eastern Cape and Natal)...Brilliant silvery with iridescence, the scales easily shed.
1949 J.L.B. Smith Sea Fishes of Sn Afr. 234Monodactylus argenteus (Linnaeus). Moony. Moon-fish...Brilliant silvery, characterised by only 2 cross-bars which fade with growth.
1949 J.L.B. Smith Sea Fishes of Sn Afr. 222Trachinotus russellii Cuv...Moonfish. Ladyfish...Throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific, not uncommon in Natal and Delagoa Bay, occasionally reaches East London.
1957 S. Schoeman Strike! 221Galjoen, blacktail (dassie), copper bream (hottentot) and moonfish are caught during the period September to December.
1967 R.A. Jubb Freshwater Fishes of Sn Afr. 193Monodactylus argenteus,..Moon-fish...Attains a size of 9 inches, being rare south of Pondoland.
1974 [see zebra].
Monodactylus falciformis; Cape lady sense 3.
M. argenteus.
The marine fish Trachinotus botla of the Carangidae. In all senses also called moony.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

19051967

Browse Related Words

By Category

Fish
mooi nooitje, noun phrasen. phr.moony, nounn.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Unit for South African English