trout

noun

ˈtrau̇t 

plural trout also trouts

1

: any of various salmonid food and sport fishes that are mostly smaller than the typical salmons and are anadromous or restricted to cool clear fresh water:

a

: any of various Old or New World fishes (genera Salmo, Salvelinus, and Oncorhynchus) compare brown trout, rainbow trout

b

: char entry 1

2

: any of various fishes (such as the largemouth bass) held to resemble the true trouts

Examples of trout in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Small changes in everyday winter practices can make a big difference in stream health and can turn around animal loss, including the loss and movement of trout populations seen in Baltimore County. —Cutter Martin, CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026

Another environmentally friendly way to get rid of the tree is donate it for use protecting and rebuilding trout habitat in Rhode Island. —Jack Perry, The Providence Journal, 6 Jan. 2026

Hire a charter and head out to the deep sea, rent a kayak from Bayou Adventure’s Rental Kiosk and test the waters on the bay side, or stay on land and reel in black drum and speckled trout from one of the island’s two piers or a folding chair on the beach. —Kristy Christiansen, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2025

Try baking or sautéing trout with olive oil and fresh herbs and serve it with roasted vegetables for a satisfying and nutritious meal. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 31 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English trūht, from Late Latin trocta, tructa, a fish with sharp teeth, from Greek trōktēs, literally, gnawer, from trōgein to gnaw — more at troglodyte

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing trout

• brook trout
• brown trout
• cutthroat trout
• Dolly Varden trout
• golden trout
• lake trout
• mackinaw trout
• rainbow trout
• sea trout
• speckled trout
• spotted sea trout
• trout lily
• trout-perch

Rhymes for trout

• bout
• clout
• doubt
• drought
• flout
• gout
• grout
• kraut
• lout
• out
• pout
• rout

Kids Definition

trout

noun

ˈtrau̇t 

plural trout also trouts

1

: any of various edible fishes that are mostly smaller than the related salmons, are restricted to cool clear fresh water or spend time at sea before returning to fresh water to breed, and are often speckled with dark colors

2

: any of various fishes that resemble the true trouts