Triplefin

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small marine fish of the family Tripterygiidae, found mostly in shallow coastal waters and known for its three dorsal fins
2. A tiny reef-dwelling sea fish belonging to the blenny-like family Tripterygiidae, distinguished by three separate dorsal fins
3. Any small coastal fish in the family Tripterygiidae, typically living among rocks and seaweed and carrying three dorsal fins

Etymology: A triplefin is a small, spiny-finned marine fish, and its name is about as literal as fish names get: the fish has three separate dorsal fins, which is what "triple" and "fin" refer to. The word is a plain compound, built from the English adjective "triple," meaning threefold, and the noun "fin." Nothing in its history is hidden; the name simply describes the anatomy that sets these fish apart from most other small reef dwellers.