Tigerfishes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Predatory freshwater fish of Africa and Asia known for their sharp teeth and aggressive hunting of smaller fish
2. Fierce river-dwelling predators native to African and Asian waters, prized by anglers for their strength and sharp teeth
3. Striped, carnivorous freshwater fish that lives in rivers and lakes and preys on other fish with razor-like teeth

Etymology: "Tigerfishes" is the plural of "tigerfish", a compound formed from "tiger" and "fish". Its parts are plain English words with long histories of their own: "tiger" comes from Greek and Latin roots, and "fish" is an Old English word with ancient Germanic roots. Put together, the name describes a fish marked or hunted in the manner of a tiger, and the plural simply adds the usual "-es" to the final word, as with other compounds ending in "fish".