pupfish

noun

pup·​fish ˈpəp-ˌfish How to pronounce pupfish (audio)
: any of several killifishes (especially genus Cyprinodon of the family Cyprinodontidae) especially of warm streams and springs of the western U.S.

Examples of pupfish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Devils Hole pupfish spring population at 25-year high A graduate of UW-Whitewater, Monica Cull wrote for several organizations, including one that focused on bees and the natural world, before coming to Discover Magazine. Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 3 Mar. 2025 As soon as the earth starts to shake, the pupfish dive to the depths of Devils Hole, with each male chasing a female pupfish to procreate as soon as physically possible. Scott Travers, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024 Also cool: the park is home to one of the world’s rarest fish, the Devils Hole pupfish, an endangered species found only in a water cavern in Devils Hole here. Graham Averill, Outside Online, 4 Feb. 2025 Devils Hole pupfish also live in the smallest habitat of any vertebrate species on Earth. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 12 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for pupfish

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pupfish was in 1949

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Cite this Entry

“Pupfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pupfish. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

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