grunion

noun

grun·​ion ˈgrən-yən 

: a silverside (Leuresthes tenuis) of the California coast notable for the regularity with which it comes inshore to spawn at nearly full moon

Examples of grunion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Spawning grunion shun the spotlight In spring and summer, during the few days following a full moon, teeming grunion pack the shorelines during dramatic spawning runs. —Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Oct. 2024

Care will be taken to avoid grunion runs and least tern nesting areas. —Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024

Then there are grunions, sardine-sized fish that leave the water during mating season and lay their eggs in the sand across beaches in California. —Sofia Quaglia, Discover Magazine, 9 May 2023

Yet another 2021 study, led by Longcore, showed similarly low thresholds of light on stretches of California beach can prevent plovers from roosting and fish called grunion from throwing themselves ashore to spawn. —Joshua Sokol, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2022

Word History

Etymology

probably from Spanish gruñón grunter

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for grunion

• onion
• trunnion