name · noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
General-American:/ˈbloʊˌfɪʃ/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈbləʊˌfɪʃ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:B L OW1 F IH0 SH
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
name
Meaning 1
A symmetric block cipher encryption algorithm used in modern cryptographic software, designed by Bruce Schneier in 1993.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe several times their normal size by swallowing water or air when threatened.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A delicacy popular in Japan, consisting of the fish served raw as sushi or perhaps fried. It may, if improperly prepared, contain considerably deadly levels of neurotoxins.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
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
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: puffer, pufferfish, globefish
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: plectognath, plectognath fish
5
noun
Meaning 5
delicacy that is highly dangerous because of a potent nerve poison in ovaries and liver
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: sea squab, puffer, pufferfish
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: saltwater fish
Narrower terms: fugu
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bhel- Proto-Indo-European *-eh1- Proto-Indo-European *bhleh1-der. Proto-Germanic *blēaną Proto-West Germanic *blāan Old English blāwan Middle English blowen English blow Proto-Indo-European *péysks Proto-Germanic *fiskaz Proto-West Germanic *fisk Old English fisċ Middle English fisch English fish English blowfish From blow + fish.
Across languages
Translations
56 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
أَسْمَاك بَالُون
(ʔasmāk bālūn)
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Bulgarian:
риба-таралеж
(riba-taralež)
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Cebuano:
butiti
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Chinese Mandarin:
河豚
(hétún)
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Danish:
kuglefisk
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Dhivehi:
ކޮލި އާއިލާ
(koli āilā)
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Dutch:
kogelvis
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Finnish:
pallokala
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Finnish:
siilikala
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
French:
poisson ballon
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
French:
poisson globe
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Georgian:
ბურთით თევზი
(burtit tevzi)
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
German:
Kugelfisch
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Hungarian:
gömbhal
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Icelandic:
ígulfiskur
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Indonesian:
buntal
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Irish:
iasc balún
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Italian:
pesce palla
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Japanese:
フグ
(fugu)
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Japanese:
河豚
(fugu)
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Japanese:
鰒
(fugu)
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Kapampangan:
butiti
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Korean:
복어
(bogeo)
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Lü:
ᦔᦱᦗᦸᧂᦟᦳᧄ
(ṗaapoanglum)
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Malay:
buntal
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Malay:
ikan buntal
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Manchu:
ᠸᠠᡴᡧᠠᡨᡠ
(wakšatu)
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Māori:
kōpūtōtara
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Navajo:
niicháadii
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Nheengatu:
mamayakú
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Old Tupi:
baîaku
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Palauan:
telebudel
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Polish:
ryba rozdymkowata
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Portuguese:
baiacu
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Portuguese:
peixe-balão
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Portuguese:
fugu
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Russian:
иглобрю́хая ры́ба
(iglobrjúxaja rýba)
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Russian:
ры́ба-соба́ка
(rýba-sobáka)
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Spanish:
pez globo
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Spanish:
orbe
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Swedish:
blåsfisk
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Tagalog:
butete
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Thai:
ปักเป้า
(bpàk-gà-bpâo)
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Turkish:
balon balığı
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Ulwa (Nicaragua):
itnus
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Vietnamese:
cá bóng
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Vietnamese:
cá nóc
— any species of fish of the family Tetraodontidae that have the ability to inflate themselves to a globe
Chinese Mandarin:
河豚
(hétún)
— a delicacy popular in Japan served raw as sushi that may, if improperly prepared, contain deadly levels of neurotoxins
Finnish:
fugu
— a delicacy popular in Japan served raw as sushi that may, if improperly prepared, contain deadly levels of neurotoxins
Finnish:
pallokala
— a delicacy popular in Japan served raw as sushi that may, if improperly prepared, contain deadly levels of neurotoxins
Finnish:
siilikala
— a delicacy popular in Japan served raw as sushi that may, if improperly prepared, contain deadly levels of neurotoxins
Japanese:
フグ
(fugu)
— a delicacy popular in Japan served raw as sushi that may, if improperly prepared, contain deadly levels of neurotoxins
Japanese:
河豚
(fugu)
— a delicacy popular in Japan served raw as sushi that may, if improperly prepared, contain deadly levels of neurotoxins
Korean:
복어
(bogeo)
— a delicacy popular in Japan served raw as sushi that may, if improperly prepared, contain deadly levels of neurotoxins
Portuguese:
fugu
— a delicacy popular in Japan served raw as sushi that may, if improperly prepared, contain deadly levels of neurotoxins
Russian:
фу́гу
(fúgu)
— a delicacy popular in Japan served raw as sushi that may, if improperly prepared, contain deadly levels of neurotoxins
