Zur Ordnung der Plattfische gehörende Art, 12 m langer Speisefisch der nördl. Meere.
ETYM Old Eng. hali holy + but, butte, flounder; akin to Dutch bot, German butte; cf. Dutch heilbot, German heilbutt. So named as being eaten on holidays. Related to Holy, Holiday.
1. Lean flesh of very large flatfish of Atlantic or Pacific.
2. Marine food fish of North Atlantic or North Pacific; the largest flatfish and one of the largest teleost fishes; SYN. holibut.
Any of several large flatfishes of the genus Hippoglossus, in the family Pleuronectidae, found in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The largest of the flatfishes, they may grow to 2 m/6 ft and weigh 90–135 kg/200–300 lb. They are very dark mottled brown or green above and pure white beneath. The Atlantic halibut H. hippoglossus is caught offshore at depths from 180 m/600 ft to 730 m/2,400 ft.