pilot-fish

A pilot-fish swims alongside a large shark in the ocean.

Definition

Noun (countable): - A small marine fish (Naucrates ductor) that often swims alongside sharks, ships, or other large objects, believed to guide them to food sources.

Usage Examples

• (A fish that accompanies larger marine animals.)
• (A fish that swims near ships.)

Advanced Usage

• "to act as a pilot-fish": to serve as a guide or precursor.
  • The small boat acted as a pilot-fish for the larger fleet, leading the way through the reef. (To guide or precede others.)

Variants and Related Words

• Pilot (n): a person who operates an aircraft or guides a ship.
  • The pilot navigated the plane through the storm. (Controller of a vehicle.)
• Fish (n): a cold-blooded aquatic animal with gills.
  • The lake is full of fish. (General aquatic creature.)

Synonyms

• Naucrates ductor: the scientific name for the pilot-fish.
• Companion fish: a term sometimes used for fish that accompany larger species.

Related Idioms

• No direct idioms: The word "pilot-fish" is primarily a biological term and rarely appears in figurative idioms.