barramundi

noun

bar·​ra·​mun·​di ˌber-ə-ˈmən-dē How to pronounce barramundi (audio)
ˌba-rə-
plural barramundi also barramundis
: a catadromous bony fish (Lates calcarifer of the family Latidae) with a greenish-bronze back and silvery sides that is found from the Persian Gulf to southern China and Australia and is valued as a sport and food fish

Examples of barramundi in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Think prime porterhouse and Mishima Reserve filet mignon to Pacific barramundi bass and whole Maine lobster. John Vorwald, Robb Report, 15 June 2024 Onboard meals include local fare like saltwater barramundi and grilled kangaroo fillet. Cailey Rizzo, Travel + Leisure, 23 May 2024 Which means Payne landed his big-money barramundi just two days before the competition closed. Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 1 May 2024 Payne’s barramundi reportedly measured 26 inches in length. Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 1 May 2024 The menu at the brewery/bistro’s Mother’s Day feast runs the gamut from barramundi to brisket, scrambled eggs to salmon. Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2024 At the Joint, roughly a dozen dry-aging fridges display the wares: tuna from Spain, barramundi from Arizona, salmon from New Zealand, black cod from British Columbia, hamachi from Japan. Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2023 Shrimp in the Midwest is relatively new, as well as the salmon and barramundi. Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 24 Aug. 2022 And a farm in central Indiana that started by raising largemouth bass outdoors added a new indoor facility in recent years to grow barramundi indoors. Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 24 Aug. 2022

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

Word History

Etymology

perhaps borrowed from an indigenous language of inland central Queensland, Australia

Note: According to R. M. W. Dixon, et al., Australian Aboriginal Words in English: Their Origin and Meaning, 2nd edition (Oxford University Press, 2006), "Said to be from a language spoken around the Dawson and Fitzroy Rivers, central Queensland; however, it has not been possible to confirm this from data available on languages of this region" (p. 90).

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of barramundi was in 1864

Dictionary Entries Near barramundi

Cite this Entry

“Barramundi.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barramundi. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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