kingfishn.
/ˈkɪŋfɪʃ/, U.S. /ˈkɪŋˌfɪʃ/α. 1600s– kingfish.
β. 1700s kings-fish, 1700s–1800s king's fish.
1. A name given to various fishes notable for their size, appearance, or value as food; spec.† a. The herring, Culpea harengus. Obsolete.Apparently an isolated use.
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the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > [noun] > order Lampridiformes > member of family Lamprididae (opah)
moonfish1646
kingfish1653
opah1752
sea-pert1880
sunfish1880
the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > suborder Scombroidei (mackerel) > [noun] > elacate or snook
kingfish1653
snook1697
crab-eater1842
the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > family Sciaenidae (drums) > [noun] > genus Sciaena > member of
shadow-fish1598
yellowtaila1622
kingfish1653
corvina1787
malachigan1793
sheep's head1836
roncador1867
1653 Ad Populum sig. A4 Oh Herring! Herring! thou art that King-fish.
b. Any of various South American silverside fishes of the genus Odontesthes, esp. the Chilean or Peruvian silverside ( O. regia) and the Argentinian silverside ( O. bonariensis). Now rare.
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1717 tr. A. F. Frézier Voy. South-Sea 82 There they take..a Sort of Gurnards, call'd all along that Coast Peze Rey [Fr. original Peje Reyes], that is, King Fish [Fr. Poisson de Rois], because of its Delicacy.
1854 W. Hadfield Brazil, River Plate, & Falkland Islands xiii. 315 The pexerey (king's fish), the dorado, mullet, pacū (a sort of turbot), and many others, are found in it.
2011 M. Cramer Culture Shock! Bolivia (ed. 3) vi. 135 Pejerrey (kingfish) is a delicious white fish from Lake Titicaca.
c. The opah, Lampris guttatus. Now rare.
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1750 in Philos. Trans. Abridged 1743–1750 (Royal Soc.) (1756) 10 879 Plate v. The Opah, or King Fish.
1798 T. Hinderwell Hist. Scarborough ii. ii. 229 The Opah or king-fish (very rare) was seen here a few years ago.
1847 Dundee Courier 6 July 3/2 One of those very beautiful and rare fishes, the Opah or King Fish..was taken in the salmon nets belonging to Mr Hector of Aberdeen.
1959 Press-Courier (Oxnard, Calif.) 6 June 7 (caption) The fish, also known as a moonfish or kingfish, was caught by Mrs. Stan Hendrickson.
d. Chiefly U.S. regional (southern). Any of several fishes of the genus Scomberomorus, esp. the cero, S. regalis, and king mackerel, S. cavella.
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the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > suborder Scombroidei (mackerel) > [noun] > family Scombridae > member of Scomberomorus (Spanish mackerel)
kingfish1775
Spanish mackerel1832
pintado1874
king mackerel1879
cero1884
sierra1889
katonkel1893
speckled hound-fish-
1775 B. Romans Conc. Nat. Hist. E. & W. Florida App. 7 Groopers are in great plenty, king-fish, Spanish mackrel and Barrows are also often caught towing.
1897 Outing 29 330/2 Second in importance is the kingfish, whom the Fish Commissioners call a Scomberomorus regalis.
1925 Amer. Mercury Jan. p. xiv (advt.) A few days in which to try your skill with the spectacular and gamy king fish.
2011 C. J. Jackson Seafood 338 Also known as kingfish, the king mackerel is found in the Western Atlantic from Canada to Massachusetts, US, to São Paulo, Brazil.
e. Chiefly U.S. regional (north-eastern). Originally: a sciaenid fish of the shallow coastal waters of the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, Menticirrhus saxatalis, having a single barbel on the chin and prominent chevron shaped markings; also called northern kingfish. In later use also (frequently with distinguishing word): any of various other fishes of the genus Menticirrhus found in this region, esp. M. americanus (more fully southern kingfish) and M. littoralis (more fully gulf kingfish). Also called barb.
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the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > family Sciaenidae (drums) > [noun] > member of genus Menticirrhus
whiting1735
kingfish1815
surf whiting1877
tomcod1881
roundhead1890
1815 Trans. N.Y. Lit. & Philos. Soc. 1 408 King-fish. (Sciæna nebulosa.) With cirrhous chin, clouded skin, and ragged blunt processes.
1873 T. Gill Catal. Fishes East Coast N. Amer. 27 Menticirrus nebulosus..King-fish; whiting.
1934 S. F. Hildebrand & L. E. Cable Reproduc. & Devel. Whitings or Kingfishes (Bull. U.S. Bureau Fisheries, No. 16) 51 (heading) The whitings or kingfishes (Menticirrhus americanus, M. saxatilis and M. littoralis).
1971 Copeia No. 2. 331/2 They reported nearly complete scalation at 18-20mm for the southern kingfish..; northern kingfish..; Gulf kingfish..; and the sea trout.
2008 A. Ristori Compl. Bk. Surf Fishing ii. 33 All kingfish are easily identified by a rounded snout, tiny mouth, and a short barbel on the chin.
f. Australian and New Zealand. The yellowtail amberjack of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, Seriola lalandi, a large fish having a dark blue body with white underside, and a yellowish tail and fins. More fully yellowtail kingfish.
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the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > suborder Scombroidei (mackerel) > [noun] > family Carangidae (scads) > member of genus Seriola (amber-fish)
pilot fish1592
yellowtaila1622
amber-fish1624
rudderfish1792
kingfish1827
amberjack1873
medregal1884
albacore1890
1827 P. Cunningham Two Years New S. Wales I. iv. 68 King-fish, mullet, mackarel..are all found plentifully about.
1859 All Year Round 21 May 82 The deep sea fish—the ‘schnapper’, the ‘king fish’, the ‘grounder’, and the rock cod—were beyond their reach.
1937 Press (Christchurch, N.Z.) 11 Jan. 8/4 The day on which he caught the kingfish Mr Isherwood described as one of the most enjoyable in his fishing experience.
1963 Austral. Women's Weekly 27 Mar. (Teenagers Suppl.) 3/2 He proudly fished one day from Bob Dyer's boat..and had the thrill of catching a number of tuna and yellowtail kingfish.
2004 J. Mosig & R. Fallu Austral. Fish Farmer (ed. 2) xxiii. 387 In years gone by, kingfish have been harvested in floating traps in New South Wales.
g. South African. Any of several large game fish of the family Carangidae found in South African waters. Also called trevally, jack.Frequently with distinguishing word, as blacktip kingfish, giant kingfish, etc.
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the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > suborder Scombroidei (mackerel) > [noun] > family Carangidae (scads) > miscellaneous types of
pompano1598
centronote1831
round robin1848
queenfish1906
kingfish1910
1910 Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 6 241 (header) Caranx carangus, Bl. (King-fish).
1988 S. Afr. Panorama Dec. 40 Shore fishermen seek the shad (Pomatomus saltator), kabeljou (Argyrosomus hololepidotus), grunter and inshore gamefish such as garrick (Lichia amia) and kingfish (Caranx species).
2002 D. King & V. Fraser More Reef Fishes & Nudibranchs 62 The giant kingfish is much prized by spearfishermen and sports anglers.
2009 Submerge July 58 Kingfish are also known as trevallies or jacks in other parts of the world.
2. U.S. slang. (A nickname for) a powerful leader, chief, or boss.Often applied to Huey Long (1893–1935), former American Senator and Governor of Louisiana.
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society > authority > control > person in control > [noun] > one who is in charge
gaffera1658
old man1668
governor1783
head woman1799
boss1806
oyakata1818
guv'nor1843
head-worker1846
jossc1860
Guv1861
Maluka1905
big guy1921
skip1921
kingfish1930
boss-man1934
pitch-and-toss1942
honcho1945
head honcho1952
1930 Pop. Sci. Monthly June 121/1 The head man of their lodge is called ‘the Kingfish’; the lodge itself, ‘the Mystic Knights of the Sea’.
1933 H. P. Long Every Man a King xxvii. 277 I am participating here anyway, gentlemen. For the present you can just call me the Kingfish.
1934 Sun (Baltimore) 21 Aug. 10/2 The Kingfish [sc. Huey Long] is ideally equipped for a dictator's rôle.
1939 Sun (Baltimore) 17 July 11/1 King Levinsky, the Kingfish, who earned a fortune..during four spectacular years in the ring.
1946 Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch 26 Dec. 1/5 Mr. Brown..is sometimes referred to as the ‘kingfish’ of City Council.
1968 Word Study Dec. 4/1 The term kingfish may be applied to an undisputed leader or master. It has been used as a personal appellation, self-applied I believe, to Huey Long, and to a character in the enduring radio show of Amos 'n' Andy.
1982 A. Brinkley Voices of Protest i. 9 To them, he [sc. Huey Long] was simply, ‘the Kingfish’.
2015 New Yorker (Nexis) 7 Sept. 56 There have been party bosses, governors, and mayors with..power and venality, but no kingfish of the stature of the Commodore, Nucky, or Hap.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2017; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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