Any one of numerous species of perch-like North American
   fresh-water fishes of the family Centrachidae. They have a broad,
   compressed body, and strong dorsal spines. Among the common species of
   the Eastern United States are Lepomis gibbosus (called also bream,
   pondfish, pumpkin seed, and sunny), the blue sunfish, or dollardee (L.
   pallidus), and the long-eared sunfish (L. auritus). Several of the
   species are called also pondfish.