Spinefish

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small deep-sea fish characterized by sharp spines covering its head and body, found in dark ocean depths
2. A deep-dwelling marine fish equipped with prominent spiny projections on its skin as protection against predators
3. A spinous deep-sea fish inhabiting the abyssal zones of the ocean, notable for its defensive spinal structures

Etymology: A spinefish is named for the stiff, sharp spines that run along its fins, a plain compound of "spine" and "fish." The name is applied to several unrelated groups, most often the rabbitfishes of the family Siganidae, whose dorsal and anal fins carry venomous spines. "Spine" comes into English from Old French "espine," from Latin "spina," meaning thorn or backbone, and "fish" is an Old English word. The combination describes the fish's most noticeable feature, rather than a single species or family.