Goldfishes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An aquatic species known for its vibrant colors and long fins, often kept as a pet in home aquariums
2. A small domesticated fish variety, widely recognized for its ornamental value and social behavior in captivity
3. A member of the carp family that is typically orange or gold, valued for its beauty in ornamental fishkeeping

Etymology: The plural "goldfishes" is the regular form of "goldfish," which is a compound of "gold" and "fish." "Gold" descends from Old English "gold," traceable back to a Proto-Germanic word "gulþą," and "fish" comes from Old English "fisċ," itself from Proto-Germanic "fiskazƒ," one of the older roots in the language. Put together, the compound names a fish defined by its golden colour, and English has long treated its plural as either "goldfish" or "goldfishes," depending on whether speakers mean the individual animals or several distinct kinds of them.

Synonyms: goldfish