SINCE 1828
tarpon
noun
tar·pon
| \ ˈtär-pən
\
\
plural tarpon
or tarpons
Definition of tarpon
: a large silvery elongate bony fish (Megalops atlanticus of the family Elopidae) that occurs especially in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and warm coastal waters of the Atlantic, reaches a length of about six feet (two meters), and is often caught for sport
Examples of tarpon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, founded in 1929, put a tarpon on its logo. — al, "Hollie’s tarpon: Fish caught by Alabama woman going far," 2 Aug. 2019 She was also featured in a 1999 article on tarpon fishing in the Tarpon Times of the Boca Beason regaling both Bill's and her love of Tarpon fishing. — courant.com, "Priscilla T. Wilcox," 21 July 2019 Viewers speculated that the shark may have been eating a large tarpon. — Joe Mario Pedersen, orlandosentinel.com, "13-foot hammerhead shark spotted off Florida beach," 28 June 2019 Permit belong to the trinity of South Florida flats fish, along with tarpon and bonefish, that help pump an estimated $460 million a year into the state economy. — Jenny Staletovich, miamiherald, "Anglers have fought to protect this fish. So how did it wind up on a Miami Beach menu? | Miami Herald," 15 May 2018 Troll or drift with pogies for tarpon, snook, redfish, jacks, king mackerel, Spanish mackerel and bonito are all possible. — Mark Blythe, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Central Florida fishing forecast: July 15," 14 July 2018 Watson sees the shark at a distance now, thrashing about with the tarpon in tow. — Madeleine Marr, miamiherald, "'Holy [bleep!]' Video shows hungry hammerhead shark playing with its prey," 22 June 2018 Fishing nearshore is still producing tarpon, snook and king mackerel. — Mark Blythe, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Central Florida fishing forecast: July 5," 4 July 2018 Bird-watch at Gasparilla Island State Park, paddleboard the Gulf of Mexico, fish for trophy tarpon, or day-trip to nearby Cayo Costa for nine miles of pristine sand. — The Editors, Outside Online, "North America's 16 Best, Most Overlooked Beaches," 1 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tarpon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on tarpon
What made you want to look up tarpon? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Musical Words Quiz
-
- Which word describes a musical performance marked by the absence of instrumental accompaniment?
Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
Share tarpon
Resources for tarpon