catadromous

American  

[kuh-tad-ruh-muhs] / kəˈtæd rə məs /

adjective

1. (of fish) migrating from fresh water to spawn in the sea, as eels of the genus Anguilla (anadromous ).

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catadromous British  

/ kəˈtædrəməs /

adjective

1. (of fishes such as the eel) migrating down rivers to the sea in order to breed Compare anadromous

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Etymology

Origin of catadromous

First recorded in 1880–85; cata- + -dromous

Example Sentences

The 13-year-old from Iowa misspelled “catadromous,” an adjective that means “living in freshwater and going to the sea to spawn,” according to the dictionary.

From Washington Post

It’s the catadromous lifestyle that gives eels their profound weirdness.

From New York Times

Of the catadromous fishes there is a single example in our waters--the common eel.

From Project Gutenberg