goldfish

From gold +‎ fish.

• enPR: gōld'fĭsh, IPA^(key): /ˈɡoʊldfɪʃ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: gold‧fish
• Rhymes: -oʊldfɪʃ

goldfish (plural goldfish or goldfishes)

1. A type of small fish, Carassius auratus, typically orange-colored.

   For the children's fair we'll have a few games they can play, so that each child "wins" a goldfish as a prize.

   • 2017, Howard Bennett, The Fantastic Body: What Makes You Tick & How You Get Sick:

     However, unless you have a nonshedding, nonlicking breed, there's no such thing as a truly hypoallergenic dog. How about a nice goldfish instead?

2. (figuratively, informal) A person with an unreliable memory.