lateral line

noun

: a canal along the side of a fish containing pores that open into tubes supplied with sense organs sensitive to low vibrations

also : one of these tubes or sense organs

Examples of lateral line in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Lures such as spinners that produce high vibration can be felt by a pike’s lateral line from a great distance. —Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 18 Apr. 2024

Whereas largemouths have one line of large dark blotches along their lateral lines, smallmouth have more vertical bars, often with far more additional markings along their bellies and backs. —Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 28 Mar. 2024

Hire a full suite of inspectors: roof, chimney, termite, foundation, sewer lateral line and the whole-house general. —Pat Kapowich, The Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2024

Thanks to a bass’s lateral lines, a vibrating jig is an easy bait for the fish to detect in the water. —Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 12 Oct. 2023

But on land the lateral line system was useless. —David George Haskell, Wired, 8 Mar. 2022

Sharks can detect this using both the vestibular hair cells in their inner ear, and their sensory organ called the lateral line, according to another study at Aberdeen University. —Samantha Arrowsmith, Discover Magazine, 15 Apr. 2022

Through receptors on their heads and bodies, the lateral line lets fish feel movements and pressure changes in the surrounding water. —Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 1 Apr. 2014

However, there could still be even more signals that the fish senses with its lateral line. —Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 1 Apr. 2014

Word History

First Known Use

1752, in the meaning defined above