goldfish
n. countablen. a small, orange or gold fish that people often keep as a pet in a bowl or a tank.
n. a small, typically orange-coloured freshwater fish of the carp family, frequently kept in ponds or aquaria.
She feeds her goldfish every morning before school.
The child won a goldfish at the local fair and carried it home in a plastic bag.
While commonly kept in small bowls, a goldfish actually requires significant filtration and space to thrive and reach its full physical potential.
From gold + fish.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Usage
The plural form can be either 'goldfish' or 'goldfishes', though the former is more common when referring to multiple individuals of the same species.
Last updated May 7, 2026