anadromous

adjective anad·ro·mous \ ə-ˈna-drə-məs \

|Updated on: 24 Jul 2018

Definition of anadromous

: ascending rivers from the sea for breeding

shad are anadromous

— compare catadromous

See anadromous defined for kids

Recent Examples of anadromous from the Web

Why: The Salmon is Idaho’s top wild fishery for catching anadromous salmon and steelhead.

— jordan rodriguez, idahostatesman, "Hit the road for your next fishing adventure. You might catch something new. | Idaho Statesman," 7 Mar. 2018
But officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which oversees salmon and other anadromous fish that spend part of their lives in the ocean, denied the petition.

— katie langin, Science | AAAS, "Salmon spawn fierce debate over protecting endangered species, thanks to a single gene," 4 May 2018
The terrain is rough, access can be difficult and anadromous fish are notoriously tricky to hook.

— jordan rodriguez, idahostatesman, "Hit the road for your next fishing adventure. You might catch something new. | Idaho Statesman," 7 Mar. 2018
This trend ultimately results in fewer spawning adults returning to their natal streams, causing escapement goals to be missed, and potentially fewer young fish to continue their anadromous lifecycle.

— sam cotten, Anchorage Daily News, "Why the state decided to shut down or restrict king salmon fishing in the Susitna River drainage," 14 Mar. 2018
The pipeline would cross streams for anadromous and resident fish species at 77 locations.

— laine welch, Anchorage Daily News, "Suggested catches of Pacific halibut decrease this year," 29 Jan. 2018
The Legacy Act presumes that all state waterways are anadromous, meaning paths for salmon returning from the ocean to spawn in their home streams.

— laine welch, Alaska Dispatch News, "Gearing up for National Seafood Month," 23 Sep. 2017
However, several tribes and Native NGOs in Bristol Bay oppose Pebble mine's plans to dump toxic fill in the headwaters of anadromous streams.

— Alaska Dispatch News, "Letters to the editor: Readers write, October 22, 2017," 22 Oct. 2017
The next minute, chaos hits as an anadromous monster goes berserk on the end of your line, with only a barbless hook point keeping it attached.

— jordan rodriguez, idahostatesman, "Looking for a new fishing thrill? Try your hand at one of these monsters," 16 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'anadromous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of anadromous

Greek anadromos running upward, from anadramein to run upward, from ana- + dramein to run — more at dromedary

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1753

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up anadromous? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

anadromous

Definition of anadromous

Recent Examples of anadromous from the Web

Origin and Etymology of anadromous

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

cerulean

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

A Deep Dive on 'Deep Dive'

10 Words for the Elitists in Your Life

The Good, The Bad, & The Semantically Imprecise - 8/17/2018

9 Words for Places People Call "Home"

Ask the Editors

Ghost Word

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

Literally

Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

Word Games

Difficult Spelling Words Quiz

The Eponym Quiz

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Citation

A Deep Dive on 'Deep Dive'

10 Words for the Elitists in Your Life

Difficult Spelling Words Quiz

Trending: Brennan: Trump's Claims are 'Hogwash'

Ghost Word

anadromous

Definition of anadromous

Recent Examples of anadromous from the Web

Origin and Etymology of anadromous

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

A Deep Dive on 'Deep Dive'

10 Words for the Elitists in Your Life

Difficult Spelling Words Quiz

Trending: Brennan: Trump's Claims are 'Hogwash'

Ghost Word