tarpon

noun

tar·​pon ˈtär-pən 

plural tarpon or tarpons

: a large silvery elongate bony fish (Megalops atlanticus of the family Megalopidae) that occurs especially in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and warm coastal waters of the Atlantic, reaches a length of about six feet (two meters), and is often caught for sport

Examples of tarpon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Then, from April to August, is when the thousands of tarpons come in. —Mary Forgione, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025

Robbie’s Marina: No trip through the Upper Keys is complete without a stop to feed the tarpon. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2025

Elsewhere in the Keys, worsening water quality has been identified as one of the factors responsible for a decline in bonefish and tarpon, and the devastation of Florida's coral reefs. —Greg Allen, NPR, 5 Mar. 2025

Biggest tarpon: 286 pounds, 9 ounces, caught in Guinea-Bissau in West Africa in 2003. —Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 20 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1685, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tarpon

• sharpen
• pilocarpine

Kids Definition

tarpon

noun

tar·​pon ˈtär-pən 

plural tarpon or tarpons

: a large silvery sport fish found in the Gulf of Mexico and warm coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean