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rainbow trout
noun
: a large stout-bodied salmonid fish (Oncorhynchus mykiss synonym Salmo gairdneri) of western North America that is related to the Pacific salmon and is typically greenish above and white on the belly with a pink, red, or lavender stripe along each side of the body and with profuse black dots compare steelhead
Examples of rainbow trout in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Anglers try their luck landing rainbow trout, bass, walleye, northern pike and more.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 10 May 2024
Horsethief became a popular destination because of its fantastic fishing — kokanee, rainbow trout and brown trout fill the lake.
—Chadd Cripe, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
The palomino trout is a hybrid cross of a rainbow trout and a California golden trout.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 17 Apr. 2023
The teens continued fishing, and Smith caught a pair of 15-inch rainbow trout.
—Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 28 Feb. 2024
Jean-Philippe Lartigue is officially a state record holder after landing an enormous rainbow trout in northern Maryland.
—Sage Marshall, Field & Stream, 14 Feb. 2024
How to catch them: Steelhead are giant rainbow trout that return to Idaho to spawn after spending most of their lives in the ocean.
—Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
When it is reached, anglers will be instructed to immediately release any hooked rainbow trout back into the river.
—The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024
The rainbow trout measured 32 inches long and tipped the scales at 17.44 pounds.
—Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 14 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rainbow trout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1880, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near rainbow trout
Cite this Entry
“Rainbow trout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rainbow%20trout. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Kids Definition
rainbow trout
noun
: a large trout native to western North America that usually has red or pink stripes with black dots on its sides compare steelhead
More from Merriam-Webster on rainbow trout
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rainbow trout
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