gar

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   any of several large North American freshwater fish with an armored body and long, toothed jaws

   A gar waited motionless among the reeds before striking at a smaller fish.

2. 2
   noun

   the European garfish, a slender marine fish with a long beaklike jaw

   The silver gar swam close to the sea's surface.

Shortened from garfish. Gar continues Old English gar, 'spear,' referring to the fish's long, pointed jaws; the same image underlies garpike.

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