cichlid

noun

cich·​lid ˈsi-kləd 

: any of a family (Cichlidae) of mostly tropical spiny-finned usually freshwater fishes including several kept in tropical aquariums

cichlid adjective

Examples of cichlid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This is interesting as Lake Tanganyika's cichlids are disproportionately affected by viruses compared to other fish. —Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 6 Mar. 2025

Indeed, African cichlids are famous for their rapid speciation, as scientists have described some 1,700 species and are continuing to discover more. —Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 26 Feb. 2025

The behavior is much rarer among aquatic species, although the authors note that male African cichlids expel pulses of urine to mark territory and in certain reproductive contexts. —Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 3 Feb. 2025

So can bees, which can also add and subtract, as can both stingrays and cichlids—at least for a small number of objects (in the range of one to five). —Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 1 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

from the base of New Latin Cichlidae, family name, from Cichla, a genus in the family (borrowed from Greek kíchlē "thrush, a species of wrasse," probably of pre-Greek substratal origin) + -idae -idae

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cichlid

• chameleon cichlid