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Webster 1913 Edition

Halibut

Hal′i-but

(hŏl′ĭ-bŭt; 277)
,
Noun.
[OE.
hali
holy +
but
,
butte
, flounder; akin to D.
bot
, G.
butte
; cf. D.
heilbot
, G.
heilbutt
. So named as being eaten on holidays. See
Holy
,
Holiday
.]
(Zool.)
A large, northern, marine flatfish (
Hippoglossus vulgaris
), of the family
Pleuronectidae
. It often grows very large, weighing more than three hundred pounds. It is an important food fish.
[Written also
holibut
.]

Webster 1828 Edition

Halibut

HAL'IBUT

,
Noun.
A fish of the genus Pleuronectes, and order of Thoracics. This fish has a compressed body, one side resembling the back, the other the belly; and both eyes on the same side of the head. It grows to a great size; some to the weight of 300 or 400 pounds. It forms an article of food, and some parts of the body are fat, tender and delicious. This fish swims on its side, and hence the name of the genus.

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