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 and Oncorhynchus) compare brown trout, rainbow trout
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 Compared to popular gamefish like bass, walleyes, crappies, and trout, northern pike have much tougher mouths. Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 18 Apr. 2024 During the first few days of the April cruise, other fresh fish dishes included sea bass with lemon butter sauce and tapenade at brasserie Rudi’s Sel de Mer and trout with a bread crumb and cashew crust served in a curry sauce with at Asian restaurant Tamarind. Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024 The property, which became popular for its trout fishing and bait-and-tackle shop in the 1930s, was first owned by actors Noah and Wallace Beery. Jenna Peterson, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024 Subsequently, during this time, forage like suckers and smaller trout will be shallow, looking for warmer water. Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 14 Mar. 2024 The Quick Hitter In some states, opening day of the trout season has a start time. Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 4 Apr. 2024 Walking paths over and under it leave from just behind the restaurant, where the glass wall and sprawling patio both offer excellent views for diners digging into the local trout. Naomi Tomky, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Mar. 2024 That’s larger than the trout that went into the lake last week. Debra Skodack, Kansas City Star, 28 Feb. 2024 Tuna, bass, bluefish, flounder, and trout can all be caught here. Trudy Haywood Saunders, Travel + Leisure, 26 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word '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

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of trout was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near trout

Cite this Entry

“Trout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trout. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

trout

noun
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

More from Merriam-Webster on trout

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