gourami

[ goo-rah-mee ]

noun

, plural (especially collectively) gou·ra·mi, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) gou·ra·mis.

1. a large, air-breathing, nest-building, freshwater Asiatic fish, Osphronemus goramy, used for food.
2. any of several small, air-breathing, nest-building Asiatic fishes of the genera Trichogaster, Colisa, and Trichopsis, often kept in aquariums.

gourami

/ ˈɡʊərəmɪ /

noun

1. a large SE Asian labyrinth fish, Osphronemus goramy, used for food and (when young) as an aquarium fish
2. any of various other labyrinth fishes, such as Helostoma temmincki ( kissing gourami ), many of which are brightly coloured and popular aquarium fishes

Word History and Origins

Origin of gourami¹

1875–80; < Malay ( Java dial.) gurami < Javanese graméh

Word History and Origins

Origin of gourami¹

from Malay gurami

Example Sentences

The surgeon called it the gourami, and said that some successful attempts had been made to introduce the fish in American waters.

From Project Gutenberg

Achang called the fish the gourami, or something like that; but beyond this nothing was known about him.

From Project Gutenberg

A fish of Java, the Gourami (Osphronemus olfax), establishes an ovoid nest with the leaves of aquatic plants woven together.

From Project Gutenberg