Trunkfish
/ˈtrʌŋkˌfɪʃ/noun
A boxfish or cowfish with a rigid, boxlike body.
Did you know?The name comes from the fish’s hard, boxy shape, and in older English usage a "trunk" could mean a chest or box, not just an elephant’s nose.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
trunc
“A chest, box, or strong case for storing things”
Middle English
ME
tronk
“A box or chest; later also a thick body or main stem”
Early Modern English
English
trunk fish
“A fish with a boxlike, trunk-shaped body”
Modern English
English
trunkfish
“Any of several rigid, boxlike fishes, especially boxfish and cowfish”
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