-
- To save this word, you'll need to log in.
kingfish
noun
king·fish
Ë?kiÅ‹-ËŒfish
1
: any of several marine croakers (family Sciaenidae): such as
a
: any of three fishes (Menticirrhus americanus, M. littoralis, and M. saxatilis) of shallow coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean
b
: a small silvery food and sport fish (Genyonemus lineatus) of inshore waters especially of California
called also white croaker
2
3
: an undisputed master in an area or group
Synonyms
- big
- big boy
- big cheese
- big gun
- big leaguer
- big shot
- big wheel
- big-timer
- bigfoot
- biggie
- bigwig
- fat cat
- heavy
- heavy hitter
- heavyweight
- high-muck-a-muck
- high-muckety-muck
- honcho
- kahuna
- kingpin
- major leaguer
- muckety-muck
- muck-a-muck
- mucky-muck
- nabob
- nawab
- nibs
- nob [chiefly British]
- pooh-bah
- poo-bah
- wheel
Examples of kingfish in a Sentence
as a kingfish in the state's political circles, he was accustomed to being courted by presidential hopefuls
Recent Examples on the Web
Diamond Jig The classic four-side diamond jig has been around for nearly a century and from Atlantic halibut in the fjords of Norway to cod in Nova Scotia to yellowtail kingfish in California, there are very few saltwater species that won’t smack one.
—
Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 17 Oct. 2024
Visitors can charter boats and hire guides to take them out on the water in search of delicious kingfish, mahi-mahi and sailfish.
—
Catherine Garcia, theweek, 5 Mar. 2024
One night, as an 18-year-old line cook at Fish Face in Sydney, Josh Niland forgot to transfer 15 uncooked portions of kingfish from a service refrigerator back to the walk-in.
—
Caroline Hatchett, Robb Report, 10 May 2024
New stand-outs include the toro no toro, in which locally caught kingfish is enhanced with Flemish Holstein beef to imitate the fat of tuna belly and topped with Royal Belgian Caviar.
—
Mary Winston Nicklin, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for kingfish 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Word History
First Known Use
1815, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Articles Related to kingfish
Dictionary Entries Near kingfish
Cite this Entry
“Kingfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kingfish. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.
Kids Definition
kingfish
noun
king·fish
Ë?kiÅ‹-ËŒfish
: any of various sea fishes (as a king mackerel)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share