/rib"euhn fish'/ , n. , pl. ( esp. collectively ) ribbonfish , ( esp. referring to two or more kinds or species ) ribbonfishes .
1. any of several marine fishes of the families Trachipteridae, Regalicidae, and Lophotidae, having a long, compressed, ribbonlike body.
2. any of several related fishes, as the oarfish.
3. any of several unrelated but similar fishes, as the cutlassfish and jackknife-fish.
Also called snakefish .
[ 1785-95; RIBBON + FISH ]