Pomfrets

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of marine fish characterized by deep, compressed bodies and forked tails, typically found in warmer ocean waters and often used as food; also refers to the edible fish of this family commonly caught and consumed
2. Species of fish noted for their rounded, laterally flattened bodies and smooth scales, inhabiting subtropical seas and valued in culinary contexts; the term also denotes these specific edible fish collectively
3. Ocean-dwelling fish recognized by their solid, oval shapes and forked caudal fins, prevalent in tropical regions and harvested for cooking purposes; the word collectively designates fish belonging to this family used as seafood

Etymology: "Pomfrets" is the plural of "pomfret," the name for a group of deep-bodied, forked-tailed marine fish that are caught and eaten in warmer seas. The singular "pomfret" is thought to come from Portuguese "pampano," the name for a fish of the same kind, though the connection is only a likely one. The Portuguese word suggests a path of borrowing from Iberian sailors and traders into English, which fits the fish's place in the warm-water fisheries those seafarers worked. The English form has drifted a long way from its probable source. The "pam" of "pampano" became "pom," and the "-ano" ending was lost, leaving a word that sounds nothing like its origin to modern ears. The final "-et" is an English ending that was added to the borrowed stem, so the familiar spelling is the result of several changes rather than a straight transfer of the Portuguese name.

Synonyms: pomfret, butterfish, silver pomfret, monkfish, dorado