pikeminnow

noun

pike·​min·​now ˈpīk-ˌmi-(ˌ)nō How to pronounce pikeminnow (audio)
plural pikeminnows also pikeminnow
: any of several large freshwater fishes (genus Ptychocheilus of the family Cyprinidae) of rivers and lakes of western North America that have a long body, deeply forked tail, and large toothless mouth, and that feed chiefly on insects and other fish

Note: This fish was formerly known as the squawfish but was officially renamed by the American Fisheries Society and Committee on Names of Fishes in 1998 due to the offensiveness of the historical name.

Examples of pikeminnow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web On the bright side, pikeminnow are decent fighters that can reach sizes of 20 inches or more. Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 Popular baits include shrimp, squid or pieces of dead herring, pikeminnow or sucker. Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 Today, however, four of those fish—the humpback chub, the Colorado pikeminnow, the razorback sucker, and the bonytail—are federally listed as threatened or endangered. WIRED, 4 Nov. 2023 For more than two decades, a program funded by the Bonneville Power Administration has paid anglers to catch and turn in northern pikeminnow. oregonlive, 27 Aug. 2023 Fisheries managers believe the program has reshaped the population of the native fish so there are fewer of the really big pikeminnow that are especially efficient at preying on smolts. oregonlive, 27 Aug. 2023 The largest cyprinid fish in North America, the Colorado pikeminnow The Colorado pikeminnow is the largest cyprinid fish in North America, with reports of the fish growing up to 6 feet long. Jake Frederico, The Arizona Republic, 3 Mar. 2023 The region’s unique pikeminnow bounty program has entered the cyber world. Bill Monroe, oregonlive, 26 Jan. 2023 By examining the predators’ stomachs, the researchers found that pike at that time consumed the most bonytail chub, Colorado pikeminnow and other natives, while the catfish ate few. Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 19 July 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pikeminnow.' 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

1998, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pikeminnow was in 1998

Dictionary Entries Near pikeminnow

Cite this Entry

“Pikeminnow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pikeminnow. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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