lamprey

noun

lam·​prey ˈlam-prē How to pronounce lamprey (audio)
-ˌprā
plural lampreys
: any of a family (Petromyzontidae) of eel-shaped freshwater or anadromous jawless fishes that include those cyclostomes having well-developed eyes and a large disk-shaped suctorial mouth armed with horny teeth

called also lamprey eel

Examples of lamprey in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Eradication helped reduce the lamprey by 90 percent. Discover Magazine, 14 Oct. 2024 Biologists expect that with the dams now removed and the Klamath flowing freely, all types of native fish will benefit, including fall-run and spring-run chinook as well as coho salmon, steelhead trout and Pacific lampreys. Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2024 But because lampreys are jawless, scientists assumed their embryos did not have a neural crest and therefore did not develop sympathetic neurons. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 May 2024 The McKenzie Watershed Alliance, an environmental organization out of Springfield, was awarded $8.5 million in federal funding to restore floodplains along the Willamette River, which will in turn aid species like the Chinook salmon, bull trout and Pacific lamprey. Axios Portland, Axios, 30 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for lamprey 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French lampreie, from Medieval Latin lampreda

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lamprey was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near lamprey

Cite this Entry

“Lamprey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lamprey. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

lamprey

noun
lam·​prey ˈlam-prē How to pronounce lamprey (audio)
-ˌprā
plural lampreys
: any of a family of jawless fishes that resemble eels and have a large sucking mouth with horny teeth

More from Merriam-Webster on lamprey

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!