anadromous

adjective

anad·​ro·​mous ə-ˈna-drə-məs How to pronounce anadromous (audio)
: ascending rivers from the sea for breeding
shad are anadromous
compare catadromous

Examples of anadromous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The corporation is now overseeing the physical removal of the four Klamath River dams, which have blocked the passage of native anadromous fish, cutting off roughly 400 miles of spawning habitat for nearly a century. Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 17 Jan. 2024 These anadromous fish were declared extinct in the state in 1985, primarily because of a large dam that was built near Lewiston and cut off access to their spawning grounds. Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 25 Oct. 2023 The anadromous fish are central to Native American cultures and economies, prized for their fat and protein-packed meat and loved by anglers for their tenacious, head-shaking fights. oregonlive, 27 Aug. 2023 That was not the case with the convention’s keynote speaker on Thursday, U.S. Rep. Mary Sattler Peltola, who even before taking the stage was lauded by her long-time friend and AFN co-chair Ana Hoffman as exemplifying the best attributes of an anadromous fish. Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Oct. 2022 An anadromous fish, it is born in fresh water, spends its adulthood in salt water and returns to its natal rivers to spawn. Andrew S. Lewis, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2023 Their 19-year examination of steelhead trout — an anadromous fish in the same genus as Pacific salmon — found that steelhead raised in captivity were adapting to the evolutionary pressures of the hatcheries within a single generation. Matthew Berger, Discover Magazine, 3 Mar. 2016 According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s anadromous waters catalog, 124 streams cross the forested parcels transferred from the Forest Service to outside stakeholders, like the Mental Health Trust. Anchorage Daily News, 29 Apr. 2022 The anadromous side is reflected in the Cross Turismo's ability to effortlessly navigate a variety of terrain. Derek Powell, Car and Driver, 21 Apr. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'anadromous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Greek anadromos running upward, from anadramein to run upward, from ana- + dramein to run — more at dromedary

First Known Use

circa 1753, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of anadromous was circa 1753

Dictionary Entries Near anadromous

Cite this Entry

“Anadromous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anadromous. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

anadromous

adjective
anad·​ro·​mous ə-ˈnad-rə-məs How to pronounce anadromous (audio)
: traveling up rivers from the sea to breed
anadromous shad and salmon
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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