pompano

noun

pom·​pa·​no ˈpäm-pə-ˌnō  ˈpəm- 

plural pompano or pompanos

1

: a carangid food fish (Trachinotus carolinus) of the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico

broadly : any of several related fishes

2

: a small bluish or greenish butterfish (Peprilus simillimus) of the Pacific coast of North America

Examples of pompano in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

His African pompano weighed 55.4 pounds, which is almost five pounds heavier than the current Florida record. —Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 6 June 2024

That’s when von Blankenburg saw an even bigger pompano about 90 feet below the surface. —Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 6 June 2024

When the mullet schools pass by anglers are catching lots of bluefish and decent numbers of pompano. —Alan Sherman, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024

On the good days, pier fishermen are catching a lot of undersized mutton snappers, pompano, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, jack crevalles, big ladyfish and lots of bluerunners. —Alan Sherman, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish pámpano, from Spanish, a percoid fish (Sparus auratus), literally, vine leaf, from Latin pampinus

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

pompano

noun

pom·​pa·​no ˈpäm-pə-ˌnō  ˈpəm- 

plural pompano or pompanos

: a food fish that occurs along the coasts of the western Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico having a narrow body and forked tail

also : any of several related fishes