redhorse

noun

red·​horse ˈred-ˌhȯrs How to pronounce redhorse (audio)
: any of various large suckers (genus Moxostoma) of North American rivers and lakes with the males having red tail fins especially in the breeding season

Examples of redhorse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The black redhorse’s healthy and abundant presence there tells researchers that Fish Creek is habitable to one of the most at-risk species after decades of environmental work. Julia Daye, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2024 The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority announced in a Feb. 13 news release that the black redhorse was first designated as at-risk in 1988. Julia Daye, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2024 The river redhorse has a distinctive red tail. Nancy Clanton, ajc, 4 June 2020 Biologists leading outings with Oxbow River Snorkeling will be sure to point out species like river redhorse, central stonerollers and elusive eastern hellbender salamanders. Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 June 2021 But the fish Sweitz saw were not the white suckers, greater redhorse, steelhead (rainbow trout) or northern pike that more commonly travel the watery highway this time of year. Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2021 The golden redhorse, found in the Root River among other places, is the sucker highlighted in the DNR's 2021 booklet of fishing regulations. Tony Kennedy, Star Tribune, 1 Apr. 2021 Other fish, including the river redhorse sucker, haven’t been seen in the Pearl in years and likely won’t return. Tristan Baurick, NOLA.com, 23 Jan. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'redhorse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of redhorse was in 1796

Dictionary Entries Near redhorse

Cite this Entry

“Redhorse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/redhorse. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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