tomcod

noun

tom·​cod ˈtäm-ˌkäd How to pronounce tomcod (audio)
: either of two small fishes (Microgadus tomcod of the northwestern Atlantic and M. proximus of the northeastern Pacific) of the cod family

Examples of tomcod 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 bass, along with Southern species like skilletfish, are prevalent in the bay as some cold-water fish (like tomcod and winter flounder) become scarcer as waters heat up. New York Times, 1 Apr. 2022 The team is conducting work on punamu, or Atlantic tomcod, a fish that is culturally important to the Mi’kmaq. Sara Miller Llana, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Dec. 2020 But from a practical angling perspective, tomcod, like smelt, belong to the past. Capt. John McMurray, Field & Stream, 10 Feb. 2020 December is a time to hunt reindeer and fish for tomcod, according to village elders Alice Fitka and Virginia Washington. Loren Holmes, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Dec. 2017 Both Hudson tomcod and New Bedford killifish, however, have unusual AHR molecules. Veronique Greenwood, Discover Magazine, 31 Oct. 2011

Word History

First Known Use

1722, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tomcod was in 1722

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Cite this Entry

“Tomcod.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tomcod. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.

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