a small carangid fish, Naucrates ductor, of tropical and subtropical seas, marked with dark vertical bands: often accompanies sharks and other large fishes
2.
any of various similar or related fishes
pilot fish in American English
a narrow, spiny-finned jackfish (Naucrates ductor) with a widely forked tail, often seen swimming near sharks
: often written ˈpilotˌfish (ˈpaɪlətˌfɪʃ)nounWord forms: pluralˈpilotˌfish or ˈpilotˌfishes