trout

noun

ˈtrau̇t 

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, Salvelinus, and Oncorhynchus) compare brown trout, rainbow trout

b

: char entry 1

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

In California’s Delta, there are threatened and endangered fish species, including steelhead trout, two types of Chinook salmon, longfin smelt, Delta smelt and green sturgeon. —Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2024

The menu changes every four to six weeks, with standout dishes like East Coast oysters with pickled kohlrabi and spruce vinegar and local smoked steelhead trout with nori puree, sea beans, and purslane. —Caitlin Palumbo, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024

Each angler took an average of 2.6 trips during that year, spending more than $700 each time, and Arkansas had visitors from 38 states looking for trout. —Alex Golden, Axios, 4 Oct. 2024

The creek also has been enhanced to improve passed for steelhead trout. —Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2024

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

Phrases Containing trout

• brook trout
• brown trout
• cutthroat trout
• Dolly Varden trout
• golden trout
• lake trout
• mackinaw trout
• rainbow trout
• sea trout
• speckled trout
• spotted sea trout
• trout lily
• trout-perch

Kids Definition

trout

noun

ˈtrau̇t 

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