pirarucu
noun
pi·ra·ru·cu
pi-ˌrär-ə-ˈkü 
: a large-scaled, predatory, freshwater fish (Arapaima gigas of the family Osteoglossidae) of the rivers of northern South America that is an esteemed food fish, has a toothed tongue, and may reach a length of nearly 10 feet (3 meters) and a weight of over 300 pounds (136 kilograms) but is typically smaller
Note: The pirarucu has been placed especially formerly in the same family (Osteoglossidae) as the arowanas.
Examples of pirarucu in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The pirarucu, which can weigh up to 200 kilograms (441 pounds), had become threatened with extinction in the western part of the Brazilian Amazon, as fishing vessels illegally used large nets to sweep lakes.
—
Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Jan. 2023
By law, only 30% of the pirarucu in a certain area can be fished the following year.
—Fabiano Maisonnave and Jorge Saenz, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Nov. 2022
Other criminals traffic everything from gold to the prized pirarucu fish, police said.
—Luciana Magalhaes, WSJ, 18 June 2022
The reason is that pirarucu share their habitat with piranha.
—The Economist, 17 Oct. 2019
Whether insights from pirarucu scales will percolate into materials science remains to be seen.
—The Economist, 17 Oct. 2019
The Brazilian sustainable luxury label Osklen (Katie Holmes is a fan) has a new superchic pirarucu weekend bag ($1,997) that has the look of an exotic but is in fact made from fish skins.
—Alison S. Cohn, New York Times, 28 June 2017
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Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Jan. 2023
By law, only 30% of the pirarucu in a certain area can be fished the following year.
—Fabiano Maisonnave and Jorge Saenz, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Nov. 2022
Other criminals traffic everything from gold to the prized pirarucu fish, police said.
—Luciana Magalhaes, WSJ, 18 June 2022
The reason is that pirarucu share their habitat with piranha.
—The Economist, 17 Oct. 2019
Whether insights from pirarucu scales will percolate into materials science remains to be seen.
—The Economist, 17 Oct. 2019
The Brazilian sustainable luxury label Osklen (Katie Holmes is a fan) has a new superchic pirarucu weekend bag ($1,997) that has the look of an exotic but is in fact made from fish skins.
—Alison S. Cohn, New York Times, 28 June 2017
Cite this Entry
“Pirarucu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pirarucu. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.
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