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bream

noun \ ˈbrim , ˈbrēm \
|Updated on: 23 Jul 2018

Definition of bream

plural bream or breams
1 : a bronze-colored European freshwater cyprinid fish (Abramis brama); broadly : any of various related fishes
2 a : any of various marine fish (family Sparidae) related to the porgy — called also sea bream
b : any of various freshwater sunfishes (Lepomis and related genera); especially : bluegill

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Recent Examples of bream from the Web

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

Origin and Etymology of bream

Middle English breme, from Anglo-French, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German brahsima bream, Middle High German brehen to shine

Other Fishes Terms

char, chum, ichthyology, smelt, tetra, turbot

2

bream

verb \ ˈbrēm \

Definition of bream

breamed; breaming; breams
transitive verb
: to clean (a ship's bottom) by heating and scraping

Origin and Etymology of bream

probably from Dutch brem furze; from the use of burning furze in the cleaning

Other Nautical Terms

avast, aweigh, flotsam, jib, keel, lee, port, starboard, stay

BREAM Defined for English Language Learners

bream

noun

Definition of bream for English Language Learners

  • : a kind of fish that people catch for food

Learn More about bream

  1. See words that rhyme with bream Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bream

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