pirarucu

pi·ra·ru·cu | \ pi-ˌrär-ə-ˈkü

Definition of pirarucu

: a large-scaled, predatory, freshwater fish (Arapaima gigas of the family Arapaimidae) 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 reason is that pirarucu share their habitat with piranha. — The Economist, "To see off piranha this fish has strong armour," 17 Oct. 2019 Whether insights from pirarucu scales will percolate into materials science remains to be seen. — The Economist, "To see off piranha this fish has strong armour," 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, "Where to Stock Up for a Long Weekend on Long Island," 28 June 2017

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

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Last Updated

5 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Pirarucu.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pirarucu. Accessed 25 January 2020.