rainbow trout

American  

noun

1. a trout, Salmo gairdnerii, native in the coastal waters and streams from Baja California to Alaska, used as a food and game fish.

---

rainbow trout British  

noun

1. a freshwater trout of North American origin, Salmo gairdneri , having a body marked with many black spots and two longitudinal red stripes

---

Etymology

Origin of rainbow trout

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Example Sentences

The smoked rainbow trout and slow-smoked mackerel with chili flakes are my personal favorites, but Fishwife’s selection includes salmon, tuna, mussels, sardines, and even beautifully packaged caviar.

From Salon • Dec. 4, 2025

Fishing: At Trinity Lake, you can rent a deck boat, pontoon boat or houseboat and try your hand at catching large and smallmouth bass, rainbow trout and Kokanee salmon.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2025

But those rainbow trout — identifiable by iridescent colors running down their sides — are blocked from journeying to the ocean and back by man-made barriers.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 14, 2025

This has left a gap that domestically farmed rainbow trout is poised to fill.

From Salon • Jan. 7, 2025

I remember the smell of crushed ferns in the creel and the delicate sweet odor of fresh damp rainbow trout lying so prettily on the green bed.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck