Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small, dark-colored whale of the Atlantic coast of the United States: Refers specifically to the pilot whale (Globicephala melas), known for its social structure where a large male leads the school.
   • A female salmon that has recently spawned: Describes a salmon that has laid its eggs and is typically in a darkened, spent condition.
   • A large, dark-colored food fish of the Atlantic coast of North America: Refers to several species, such as the tautog (Tautoga onitis), valued as a food fish.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • A pod of blackfish was spotted off the coast of Maine.
  • The angler caught a blackfish, but released it as it was a spawned-out female salmon.
  • Blackfish, also known as tautog, are a popular target for recreational fishermen.

Advanced Usage

• The term is context-dependent in biology and fishing, referring to entirely different animals (a mammal, a lifecycle stage of a fish, and a separate species of fish). The intended meaning is usually clear from the regional and situational context.
• In ecological discussions, a "blackfish" (the whale) is noted for its strong social bonds and mass strandings.

Variants and Related Words

• Pilot whale: A direct synonym for the cetacean meaning of "blackfish."
• Tautog: The specific name for the food fish meaning of "blackfish" in North America.
• Spent salmon: A descriptive term related to the spawned female salmon meaning.

Synonyms

• For the whale: Pilot whale, pothead whale.
• For the food fish: Tautog, black porgy.
• For the salmon: Spent fish, kelter.

Related Phrases

• School of blackfish: A group of the pilot whales.
• Blackfish fishing: The activity of catching the tautog fish.

Noun

1. small dark-colored whale of the Atlantic coast of the United States; the largest male acts as pilot or leader for the school
2. female salmon that has recently spawned
3. large dark-colored food fish of the Atlantic coast of North America