bluegill

American  

[bloo-gil] / ˈbluˌgɪl /

noun

1. a freshwater sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus, of the Mississippi River valley, used for food.

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bluegill British  

/ ˈbluːˌɡɪl /

noun

1. a common North American freshwater sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus : an important food and game fish

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Etymology

Origin of bluegill

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; blue + gill ¹

Example Sentences

He said Beckstrom loved to hunt and fish for bass and bluegill and ride four-wheelers on trails through the mountains.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 29, 2025

The abrupt worsening of water quality caused a drop in the amount of oxygen in the water, killing fish including nonnative perch, bluegill and bass that had been introduced in the reservoirs.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2024

“What I’ve done is gone to imitation bluegill baits. That’s my own creation. Not on the market. You gotta match what they’re eating. That’s the best way to trick a trophy fish.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2022

Bream and bluegill are good using live worms and power bait pellets.

From Washington Times • Oct. 21, 2020

I even snagged my first fish, a tiny bluegill.

From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry