wrasse

noun

plural wrasses also wrasse
: any of a large family (Labridae) of elongate usually brilliantly colored marine bony fishes that usually bury themselves in sand at night and include important food fishes as well as a number of popular aquarium fishes

Examples of wrasse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Thriving for more than five millennia, the barrier reef is a haven for captivating ecosystems, including over 165 species of reef fish found nowhere else on Earth, as well as dolphins, sea turtles, stingrays, and the majestic Napoleon wrasse. Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024 Cleaner wrasse The common cleaner wrasse fish, which averages just around four inches in length and is found abundantly in coral reefs, wouldn’t seem like an obvious contender for an animal intelligence list at first glance. Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 4 July 2024 After tissue samples were taken and DNA analyses were conducted, it was revealed that the fish belonged to a previously unknown type of wrasse, a family of colorful and diverse fish. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024 The wrasse measured 18 inches from nose to tail and had a 13-inch girth. Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 27 Sep. 2023 See all Example Sentences for wrasse 

Word History

Etymology

Cornish gwragh, wragh hag, wrasse

First Known Use

circa 1672, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wrasse was circa 1672

Dictionary Entries Near wrasse

Cite this Entry

“Wrasse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wrasse. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on wrasse

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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