plaice

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English playce, plays, from Old French plaiz, from Late Latin platessa, from Ancient Greek πλατύς (platús, “broad”). See platy-, plat and flat.

noun

1. Several similar marine flatfish of the righteye flounder family Pleuronectidae:
   1. Pleuronectes platessa (European plaice), commonly found in the North Sea and Irish Sea, with smooth brown skin and red or orange spots.
   2. Hippoglossoides platessoides (American plaice), of the North American Atlantic.
   3. Pleuronectes quadrituberculatus (Alaska plaice), of the eastern North Pacific.
   4. Acanthopsetta nadeshnyi (scale-eye plaice), of the western North Pacific.
   5. Liopsetta glacialis (polar plaice)