salmon

noun

salm·​on ˈsa-mən 

plural salmon also salmons

1

a

: a large anadromous salmonid fish (Salmo salar) of the North Atlantic noted as a game and food fish

called also Atlantic salmon

b

: any of various anadromous salmonid fishes other than the salmon

especially : pacific salmon

c

: a fish (such as a barramundi) resembling a salmon

2

: the variable color of salmon's flesh averaging a strong yellowish pink

Examples of salmon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Dams come down, hope for land and salmon return rises In addition to the loss of Indigenous lands, the dams also proved catastrophic for salmon, steelhead and other migratory fish since a large portion of their spawning sites were blocked by concrete and rebar. —Debra Utacia Krol, USA TODAY, 22 June 2024

Whoever was in charge of buying the kibble may have had a choice among, say, salmon, chicken, and beef, but those distinctions were less about a meaningful difference in taste or composition than about the feeble work of flavoring agents. —Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 21 June 2024

For years state officials have been trying, with limited success, to reduce farmers’ diversions, increase river flows and restore declining numbers of fish, particularly salmon, and other wildlife. —Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 19 June 2024

Restoring a river:How removing 4 dams will return salmon to the Klamath River and the river to the people Thanks for reading and for subscribing to AZ Climate, the Arizona Republic's weekly environment newsletter. —Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic, 17 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English samon, from Anglo-French salmon, samon, from Latin salmon-, salmo

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing salmon

• Atlantic salmon
• black salmon
• chinook salmon
• chum salmon
• jack salmon
• king salmon
• Pacific salmon
• pink salmon
• red salmon
• salmon pink
• silver salmon
• sockeye salmon

Kids Definition

salmon

noun

salm·​on ˈsam-ən 

plural salmon also salmons

1

: any of various large food and game fishes that are related to the trouts, have reddish or pinkish flesh, live in oceans or large lakes, and swim up rivers or streams to deposit or fertilize eggs: as

a

: one of the northern Atlantic that does not die after breeding

called also Atlantic salmon

b

: any of several fishes (as the Chinook salmon) of the northern Pacific that usually die after breeding

called also Pacific salmon

2

: salmon pink

Geographical Definition

Salmon

geographical name

Salm·​on ˈsa-mən 

river 420 miles (676 kilometers) long in central Idaho flowing into the Snake River