What does "devilfish" mean?
Any of several not closely related marine animals:; The octopus.
Devilfish
noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Any of several not closely related marine animals:; The octopus.
- Grammar: devilfish is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: manta, manta ray, octopus, devil ray.
- Usage evidence: The unattractive reptilian specimen in the man’s right hand is an octopus, or devilfish, which constitutes a favorite dish with the Asiatics of the islands.
How to use "devilfish"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "devilfish" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "devilfish" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "devilfish" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "devilfish" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "devilfish" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "manta" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "devilfish", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any of several not closely related marine animals:; The octopus. dated
"The unattractive reptilian specimen in the man’s right hand is an octopus, or devilfish, which constitutes a favorite dish with the Asiatics of the islands."
- 2 extremely large pelagic tropical ray that feeds on plankton and small fishes; usually harmless but its size make it dangerous if harpooned wordnet
- 3 Any of several not closely related marine animals:; The giant squid or kraken. dated
"It can easily be imagined that such creatures as these could drown a man, or upset a boat, and they have furnished material for many fabulous accounts of sea-serpents and devil-fishes."
- 4 bottom-living cephalopod having a soft oval body with eight long tentacles wordnet
- 5 Any of several not closely related marine animals:; The gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus. dated
"The California gray whale, or devil-fish (Rhachianectes glaucus), is found only in the North Pacific, and is an object of pursuit by the shore stations established along that coast."
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 medium-sized greyish-black whale of the northern Pacific wordnet
- 7 Any of several not closely related marine animals:; The piranha. dated
"The same carnivorous instincts are likewise attributed to the devil-fish, or piranha so common in the Rio San Francisco, and the terror of bathers."
- 8 Any of several not closely related marine animals:; The anglerfish, Lophius piscatorius. dated
"The American angler, or devil fish, which was placed In the Aquarium on Tuesday, was found dead in the tank yesterday morning. Mr. Coup, the manager, is making great effort to procure another specimen, as well as some strange fish from South America."
- 9 Any of several not closely related marine animals:; The suckermouth catfish, Hypostomus plecostomus (translating Spanish pez diablo). dated
"In the rivers of southern Mexico, a lizard-like fish with armor for skin has taken over the habitat of the native fish like róbalo and mojarra. Locals call it the pez diablo, or devil fish, and long assumed it was poisonous."
- 10 Any of several not closely related marine animals:; The manta ray; any ray in the genus Mobula. dated
"Elliott's "South Carolina Field Sports" is a very interesting and entirely trustworthy record of the sporting side of existence on the old Southern plantations, and not only commemorates how the planters hunted bear, deer, fox, and wildcat in the cane-brakes, but also gives a unique description of harpooning the devil-fish in the warm Southern waters."
- 11 Any of several not closely related marine animals:; The manta ray; any ray in the genus Mobula.; The devil ray, Mobula mobular. dated, specifically
- 12 Any of several not closely related marine animals:; Certain fish in the genus Paraplesiops; see blue devilfish, Bleeker's devilfish. dated
"Devilfish are rather shy and difficult to approach. However, patience and perseverence^([sic]) usually pay off."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The unattractive reptilian specimen in the man’s right hand is an octopus, or devilfish, which constitutes a favorite dish with the Asiatics of the islands."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "devilfish"?
Common synonyms include: manta, manta ray, octopus, devil ray, dumbo octopus, eschrichtius gibbosus.
How do you use "devilfish" in a sentence?
The unattractive reptilian specimen in the man’s right hand is an octopus, or devilfish, which constitutes a favorite dish with the Asiatics of the islands.
Etymology
Compound of devil + fish.