blenny

American

[blen-ee] / ˈblɛn i /

noun

plural

blennies

any of several fishes of the family Blenniidae and related families, especially of the genus Blennius, having a long, tapering body and small pelvic fins inserted before the pectoral fins.

blenny British

/ ˈblɛnɪ /

noun

any blennioid fish of the family Blenniidae of coastal waters, esp of the genus Blennius , having a tapering scaleless body, a long dorsal fin, and long raylike pelvic fins
any of various related 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

Etymology

Origin of blenny

1745–55; < Latin blennius a kind of fish < Greek blénnos slime, mucus; so called from its slimy coating

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.

"Butterfly blenny naturally choose abandoned whelk shells as their home but it seems they can get creative," she said..

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2024

What, we wonder, is the character of this sea lion; what kind of individual is this hammerhead shark; what is on the mind of this blenny?

From New York Times • Nov. 25, 2019

Researchers found that the fang blenny, a reef-dwelling fish, administers a bite that is laced with opioids.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2017

These morphine-like compounds cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, apparently disorientating a predator and letting the blenny escape.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2017

In fact Disco’s delight would have been perfect, had the size of the belligerents admitted of his patting the little blenny on the back; but this of course was out of the question!

From Black Ivory by Pearson, Francis B.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023