pikeminnow
noun
pike·min·now
ˈpīk-ˌmi-(ˌ)nō 
plural pikeminnows also pikeminnow
: any of several large freshwater fishes (genus Ptychocheilus of the family Cyprinidae) of rivers and lakes of western North America that have a long body, deeply forked tail, and large toothless mouth, and that feed chiefly on insects and other fish
Note: This fish was formerly known as the squawfish but was officially renamed by the American Fisheries Society and Committee on Names of Fishes in 1998 due to the offensiveness of the historical name.
Examples of pikeminnow in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
How to catch them: Northern pikeminnow are common throughout Idaho.
—
Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
On the bright side, pikeminnow are decent fighters that can reach sizes of 20 inches or more.
—Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
Popular baits include shrimp, squid or pieces of dead herring, pikeminnow or sucker.
—Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
Today, however, four of those fish—the humpback chub, the Colorado pikeminnow, the razorback sucker, and the bonytail—are federally listed as threatened or endangered.
—WIRED, 4 Nov. 2023
For more than two decades, a program funded by the Bonneville Power Administration has paid anglers to catch and turn in northern pikeminnow.
—oregonlive, 27 Aug. 2023
Fisheries managers believe the program has reshaped the population of the native fish so there are fewer of the really big pikeminnow that are especially efficient at preying on smolts.
—oregonlive, 27 Aug. 2023
The largest cyprinid fish in North America, the Colorado pikeminnow The Colorado pikeminnow is the largest cyprinid fish in North America, with reports of the fish growing up to 6 feet long.
—Jake Frederico, The Arizona Republic, 3 Mar. 2023
The region’s unique pikeminnow bounty program has entered the cyber world.
—Bill Monroe, oregonlive, 26 Jan. 2023
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.
Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
On the bright side, pikeminnow are decent fighters that can reach sizes of 20 inches or more.
—Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
Popular baits include shrimp, squid or pieces of dead herring, pikeminnow or sucker.
—Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
Today, however, four of those fish—the humpback chub, the Colorado pikeminnow, the razorback sucker, and the bonytail—are federally listed as threatened or endangered.
—WIRED, 4 Nov. 2023
For more than two decades, a program funded by the Bonneville Power Administration has paid anglers to catch and turn in northern pikeminnow.
—oregonlive, 27 Aug. 2023
Fisheries managers believe the program has reshaped the population of the native fish so there are fewer of the really big pikeminnow that are especially efficient at preying on smolts.
—oregonlive, 27 Aug. 2023
The largest cyprinid fish in North America, the Colorado pikeminnow The Colorado pikeminnow is the largest cyprinid fish in North America, with reports of the fish growing up to 6 feet long.
—Jake Frederico, The Arizona Republic, 3 Mar. 2023
The region’s unique pikeminnow bounty program has entered the cyber world.
—Bill Monroe, oregonlive, 26 Jan. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Pikeminnow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pikeminnow. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share