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ichthyology

American  
[ik-thee-ol-uh-jee] / ˌɪk θiˈɒl ə dʒi /

noun

  1. the branch of zoology dealing with fishes.


ichthyology British  
/ ˌɪkθɪˈɒlədʒɪ /

noun

  1. the study of the physiology, history, economic importance, etc, of fishes

"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

ichthyology Scientific  
/ ĭk′thē-ŏl′ə-jē /
  1. The scientific study of fish.


Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of ichthyology

First recorded in 1640–50; ichthyo- + -logy


Explanation

When you want to get schooled on how schools of fish live, breath, and migrate, you're diving right into what zoologists specializing in the study of fish call ichthyology. Strap on your scuba gear and dive to the bottom of the ocean and you'll be in a sweet spot for any ichthyology expert. With its origins in the Greek word ikhthus, meaning "fish" and the suffix -ology, or "the study of," ichthyology stretches as far back as the Stone Age — when studying fish meant having something to bring home for dinner.

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Vocabulary lists containing ichthyology

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.

See Examples For:

Dr. William Ludt, the museum’s associate curator of ichthyology, or fish studies, told Spectrum One News in 2021 that he was excited about the discovery because “it’s an extremely rare specimen.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2023

Katherine Maslenikov, the museum’s ichthyology collections manager, was hesitant when Wood first approached her with the idea.

From Scientific American ● May 18, 2022

In 1955, he received a doctorate in ichthyology from the University of Hawaii and held positions at the University of Miami and the University of Puerto Rico before returning to Hawaii in 1965.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 30, 2020

Now, nine professors have taken refuge in the ichthyology section.

From Nature ● Jul. 15, 2019

Should you have occasion to mention this arrangement to the friends of fossil ichthyology, pray do so; it seems to me for the interest of the matter that it should be known.

From Louis Agassiz: His Life and Correspondence by Louis Agassiz

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