1. a large marine fish with lobed fins and a three-lobed tail, thought to be extinct until rediscovered in 1938
Usage: scientific

Examples

• The coelacanth was considered a living fossil when scientists found it alive.
• Researchers were amazed to discover that the coelacanth still existed in deep ocean waters.
• The coelacanth’s unique fin structure provides clues about early vertebrate evolution.
• Marine biologists study the coelacanth to understand how fish evolved into land animals.
• The discovery of a living coelacanth was one of the most significant zoological finds of the 20th century.
• Coelacanths can live for over 60 years and grow up to six feet long.