tomcod

noun

tom·​cod ˈtäm-ˌkäd 

: either of two small fishes (Microgadus tomcod of the northwestern Atlantic and M. proximus of the northeastern Pacific) of the cod family

Examples of tomcod in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The furiously evolving species is the bottom-feeding Atlantic tomcod, which lives in areas of the Hudson that were contaminated by PCBs through much of the 20th century. —Andrew Moseman, Discover Magazine, 18 Feb. 2011

Because of two missing amino acids, this tomcod can swim through PCBs---and survive. —Veronique Greenwood, Discover Magazine, 31 Oct. 2011

Both Hudson tomcod and New Bedford killifish, however, have unusual AHR molecules. —Veronique Greenwood, Discover Magazine, 31 Oct. 2011

The bass, along with Southern species like skilletfish, are prevalent in the bay as some cold-water fish (like tomcod and winter flounder) become scarcer as waters heat up. —New York Times, 1 Apr. 2022

The focus is on three species – tomcod, American eel, and American lobster – in the Bay of Fundy and, in the north of the province, the saltwater Bras D’Or Lake. —Sara Miller Llana, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Dec. 2020

The team is conducting work on punamu, or Atlantic tomcod, a fish that is culturally important to the Mi’kmaq. —Sara Miller Llana, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Dec. 2020

But from a practical angling perspective, tomcod, like smelt, belong to the past. —Capt. John McMurray, Field & Stream, 10 Feb. 2020

December is a time to hunt reindeer and fish for tomcod, according to village elders Alice Fitka and Virginia Washington. —Loren Holmes, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Dec. 2017

Word History

First Known Use

1722, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tomcod

• abroad
• applaud
• backboard
• ballade
• defraud
• ephod
• facade
• guffawed
• outlawed
• ramrod
• roughshod
• slipshod