pesce luna
/ˈpeʃ.ʃe ˈlu.na/word by wordmasculine
The English phrase sunfish can be translated into Italian as pesce luna. If unsure, use pesce luna. Wiktionary also lists ortagorisco.
Meaning: fish of the family Molidae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pesce luna | /ˈpeʃ.ʃe ˈlu.na/ (word by word) | masculine |
| ortagorisco |
The term refers to fish belonging to the family Molidae.
What does it mean word for word?
The term pesce luna literally translates to 'moonfish' in English.
Which one should you use?
While English speakers call this animal a 'sunfish', the Italian term pesce luna refers to it as a 'moonfish'. The word ortagorisco is a more specific, technical or biological term used to refer to the sunfish, specifically the species Mola mola.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the southern regions of Sicily and Campania, the phrase Pesce di San Vincenzo is used for sunfish.
Did you know?
- If you are in parts of Sicily or Campania, you might hear locals call this fish Pesce di San Vincenzo instead of using the standard names.
- The Italian pesce and English 'fish' both originate from the ancient Proto-Indo-European root *peysk-.
Examples in context
- Oggi ho visto un bel pesce lira nel mare.Today I saw a beautiful sunfish in the sea.
- Ho visto un pesce luna enorme oggi.I saw a huge sunfish today.
- Il pesce luna nuota vicino alla superficie.The sunfish swims near the surface.
- Quel pesce luna ha una forma strana.That sunfish has a strange shape.
Example conversation
Matteo and Sofia are looking at a marine biology book.
- MatteoGuarda questo pesce luna nel libro.Look at this sunfish in the book.
- SofiaÈ davvero un pesce luna molto grande.It is truly a very large sunfish.
- MatteoÈ incredibile quanto sia piatto.It is incredible how flat it is.
- SofiaSì, sembra quasi un oggetto strano.Yes, it almost looks like a strange object.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sunfish” translations and entries pesce luna, ortagorisco, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (pesce, luna) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries luna, pesce, pesce luna, CC BY-SA 4.0.
