xiphiasn.

Brit.

/ˈzɪfɪəs/, U.S.

/ˈzɪfiəs/

Forms: Also 1500s ziffius, 1800s nonstandard xyphias.

Etymology: Latin, < Greek ξιϕίας, < ξίϕος sword.

1. A swordfish, esp. Xiphias gladius; in modern Zoology (with capital initial), the genus of fishes of which this is the common species, characterized by having the upper jaw prolonged into a sword-like weapon.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > suborder Scombroidei (mackerel) > [noun] > family Xiphiidae (swordfish) > xiphias gladius (swordfish)

swordfishc1400

gladius?1527

xiph1572

monoceros1590

xiphias1590

sea-emperor1672

rapier-fish1681

xiphiad1859

1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene ii. xii. sig. Aa2 Huge Ziffius, whom Mariners eschew No lesse, then rockes.

1667 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 2 492 Having..dissected the head of a Xiphias or Sword-fish.

1763 C. Smart Song to David lxxv Strong through the turbulent profound Shoots xiphias to his aim.

1860 F. C. L. Wraxall Life in Sea v. 108 The heel of an East Indiaman was once bored by a twenty-foot Xyphias so violently, that the sword went in up to the root, and the fish was killed by the force of the blow.

2. Astronomy. (With capital initial.) A southern constellation, also called Dorado or the Sword-fish.

ΘΚΠ

the world > the universe > constellation > Southern constellations > [noun] > Dorado

xiphias1728

goldfish1750

dorado1813

1728 E. Chambers Cycl. at Constellation The Stars on the South Side of the Zodiack, were distributed into fifteen Constellations... To which have been since added twelve others; viz. Phænix, Grus, Indus, Pavo, Pisces Australis, Pisces Volans, Toucan, Hydrus, and Xiphias.

?1768–9 Encycl. Brit. (1771) I. 487 The new Southern Constellations [include]..Dorado, Xiphias, The Sword Fish.

Derivatives

xiphiad n.

/ˈzɪfɪæd/ a fish of the family Xiphiidæ.

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