hippoglossus vulgaris

1 definition found

hippoglossus vulgaris - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Halibut \Hal"i*but\ (h[o^]l"[i^]*b[u^]t; 277), n. [OE. hali holy
     + but, butte, flounder; akin to D. bot, G. butte; cf. D.
     heilbot, G. heilbutt. So named as being eaten on holidays.
     See Holy, Holiday.] (Zool.)
     A large, northern, marine flatfish (Hippoglossus vulgaris),
     of the family Pleuronectid[ae]. It often grows very large,
     weighing more than three hundred pounds. It is an important
     food fish. [Written also holibut.]
     [1913 Webster]