Illustration of sculpin
- sculpin 1
plural sculpins also sculpin
1
: any of a family (Cottidae) of spiny large-headed usually bottom-dwelling often scaleless bony fishes with large fanlike pectoral fins
2
: a scorpion fish (Scorpaena guttata) of the southern California coast caught for food and sport
Examples of sculpin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Several green and hawksbill turtles are darting in and out of a vibrant coral cliff with seemingly millions of species, from sculpins to sun coral and everything in between.
—
Scott Bay, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Mar. 2024
The sculpin hat, or Wéix’ s’áaxw in Tlingit, had been at the museum since the 1880s.
—Rachel Parsons, Scientific American, 29 June 2022
But on February 14, ODNR Communications Director Stephanie O’Grady told the Columbus Dispatch that most of the fish appeared to be suckers, darters, and sculpins.
—Travis Hall, Field & Stream, 27 Feb. 2023
An estimated 3,500 fish -- such as minnows, darters and sculpin -- have died in creeks and rivers around the area, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 22 Feb. 2023
The dead fish have mostly been small suckers, minnows, darters and sculpin.
—Politifact Staff Writer, Dallas News, 16 Feb. 2023
But in Alaska, the fish skins, heads, organs, shells, and undervalued species like sculpin or arrowtooth flounder are mostly discarded or ground up and dumped.
—Laine Welch | Fish Factor, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Apr. 2022
Slowly and delicately, the new sculpin hat emerged.
—Rachel Parsons, Scientific American, 29 June 2022
Parent birds now feed their chicks sculpin and other fish that are less abundant and less energy-rich than the cod.
—Ned Rozell, Anchorage Daily News, 23 Apr. 2022
Scott Bay, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Mar. 2024
The sculpin hat, or Wéix’ s’áaxw in Tlingit, had been at the museum since the 1880s.
—Rachel Parsons, Scientific American, 29 June 2022
But on February 14, ODNR Communications Director Stephanie O’Grady told the Columbus Dispatch that most of the fish appeared to be suckers, darters, and sculpins.
—Travis Hall, Field & Stream, 27 Feb. 2023
An estimated 3,500 fish -- such as minnows, darters and sculpin -- have died in creeks and rivers around the area, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 22 Feb. 2023
The dead fish have mostly been small suckers, minnows, darters and sculpin.
—Politifact Staff Writer, Dallas News, 16 Feb. 2023
But in Alaska, the fish skins, heads, organs, shells, and undervalued species like sculpin or arrowtooth flounder are mostly discarded or ground up and dumped.
—Laine Welch | Fish Factor, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Apr. 2022
Slowly and delicately, the new sculpin hat emerged.
—Rachel Parsons, Scientific American, 29 June 2022
Parent birds now feed their chicks sculpin and other fish that are less abundant and less energy-rich than the cod.
—Ned Rozell, Anchorage Daily News, 23 Apr. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sculpin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Sculpin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sculpin. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sculpin
noun
scul·pin
ˈskəl-pən 
plural sculpins also sculpin
1
: any of numerous spiny large-headed usually scaleless fishes with fanlike fins
2
: a fish of the southern California coast that has poisonous spines on the fin on the back and is caught for food and sport
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