steelhead

noun

steel·​head ˈstēl-ˌhed How to pronounce steelhead (audio)
plural steelhead also steelheads
: an anadromous rainbow trout

called also steelhead trout

Examples of steelhead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The county uses only herbicides approved by state water regulators and the federal Environmental Protection Agency, and crews do not spray during bird nesting season or when endangered Southern California steelhead trout may be swimming upstream to spawn, the supervisor said. Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2026 Dry Creek is a salmon-bearing stream federally designated as critical habitat for Central Valley steelhead. Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 28 Feb. 2026 The Columbia River Basin, spanning an area roughly the size of Texas, was once the world’s greatest salmon-producing river system, with at least 16 stocks of salmon and steelhead. ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026 And then the really, truly hardcore anglers come out for steelhead from December till April, for what's called a winter steelhead. Outside Online, 11 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for steelhead

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1882, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of steelhead was circa 1882

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Cite this Entry

“Steelhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steelhead. Accessed 8 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

steelhead

noun
steel·​head ˈstē(ə)l-ˌhed How to pronounce steelhead (audio)
plural steelhead also steelheads
: a rainbow trout that migrates to the sea to mature and returns to rivers to breed

called also steelhead trout

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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