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smallmouth bass

American  
[smawl-mouth bas] / ˈsmɔlˌmaʊθ ˈbæs /

noun

  1. a North American freshwater game fish, Micropterus dolomieu, yellowish-green above and lighter below, having the lower jaw extending to the eye.


smallmouth bass British  
/ ˈsmɔːlˌmaʊθ ˈbæs /

noun

  1. a North American freshwater black bass, Micropterus dolomieu, that is a popular game fish

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of smallmouth bass

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

He compared the size of this region in Dunkleosteus to the head proportions of nearly 1,000 other species of fossil and modern fish, ranging in size from smallmouth bass to large sharks.

From New York Times • Mar. 4, 2023

The DOH advisory cautions against eating carp, large- and smallmouth bass, cutthroat trout and northern pikeminnow in Lake Washington.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 15, 2022

Wendy Gunn says if the trout fishery is lost and smallmouth bass take over, she could imagine Lees Ferry transitioning to a haven for warm water fish.

From Washington Times • Sep. 17, 2022

They threaten native mollusk populations, but have also benefited some species, such as smallmouth bass.

From Textbooks • Sep. 6, 2018

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