halibut

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun lean flesh of very large flatfish of Atlantic or Pacific
  2. noun marine food fish of the northern Atlantic or northern Pacific; the largest flatfish and one of the largest teleost fishes

Etymology

From Middle English *halibutt, equivalent to holy + but (“flatfish”), since the fish was often eaten on holy days. Cognate with Dutch heilbot, German Heiligbutt, Heilbutt, Heilbutte, Danish helleflynder, Swedish helgeflundra, and Norwegian Nynorsk hellefisk.

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