eelpout

noun

eel·​pout ˈēl-ˌpau̇t How to pronounce eelpout (audio)
1
: any of various elongate tapered marine fishes (family Zoarcidae) usually living on the bottom of cold seas
2
: burbot

Examples of eelpout 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.
Just last year, DNR championed a bill at the Legislature that elevated eelpout (burbot) from unprotected rough fish to game fish. Tony Kennedy, Star Tribune, 1 Apr. 2021 Second, eelpout are aggressive beneath the ice, especially after dark. Dr. Jason Halfen, Outdoor Life, 2 Jan. 2020 All are apt descriptions for a 19-pound, 11-ounce eelpout (aka burbot, aka lawyer, lingcod, cusk and a host of other unbecoming nicknames) caught by Brent Getzler of Roosevelt. Dave Orrick, Twin Cities, 5 Jan. 2017

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of eelpout was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Eelpout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eelpout. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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