Definition

Noun: 1. A type of marine fish: Any of numerous marine fishes (family Tetraodontidae) with an elongated, often spiny body that can inflate itself by swallowing water or air to form a globe-like shape as a defense mechanism. Several species contain tetrodotoxin, a potent nerve poison. 2. A dangerous delicacy: The flesh of some species of these fish, especially the fugu, prepared as food. It is considered a delicacy but is highly dangerous due to the presence of a potent nerve poison primarily in the fish's ovaries, liver, and other organs.

Usage and Examples

• Referring to the living animal:
  • The diver carefully avoided the blowfish hiding in the coral.
  • When threatened, the blowfish puffs up to several times its normal size.
• Referring to the food:
  • In Japan, only licensed chefs are allowed to prepare blowfish.
  • Eating improperly prepared blowfish can be fatal.

Advanced Usage and Notes

• The term blowfish is often used interchangeably with pufferfish, puffer, globefish, and fugu (the Japanese name for the prepared dish and certain species).
• The inflation behavior is a key identifying characteristic. The fish does this by rapidly pumping water into its highly elastic stomach.
• The poison, tetrodotoxin, is not produced by the fish itself but by bacteria that live within it. There is no known antidote.

Variants and Related Words

• Pufferfish (n): A common synonym for blowfish.
• Fugu (n): The Japanese term for pufferfish, specifically referring to it as a culinary item.
• Tetraodontidae (n): The scientific family name for blowfish and pufferfish.
• Tetrodotoxin (n): The potent neurotoxin found in blowfish.

Synonyms

• Pufferfish
• Puffer
• Globefish
• Swellfish

Related Phrases and Compounds

• Blowfish poisoning: Illness caused by consuming toxic parts of the fish.
• Fugu chef: A specially trained and licensed chef qualified to prepare blowfish for consumption.

Noun

1. any of numerous marine fishes whose elongated spiny body can inflate itself with water or air to form a globe; several species contain a potent nerve poison; closely related to spiny puffers
2. delicacy that is highly dangerous because of a potent nerve poison in ovaries and liver