eel

American  

[eel] / il /

noun

plural

eel,

plural

eels

1. any of numerous elongated, snakelike marine or freshwater fishes of the order Apodes, having no ventral fins.

2. any of several similar but unrelated fishes, as the lamprey.

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eel British  

/ iːl /

noun

1. any teleost fish of the order Apodes (or Anguilliformes ), such as the European freshwater species Anguilla anguilla, having a long snakelike body, a smooth slimy skin, and reduced fins

2. any of various other animals with a long body and smooth skin, such as the mud eel and the electric eel

3. an evasive or untrustworthy person

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eel Idioms  

1. see slippery as an eel.

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Other Word Forms

• eel-like adjective
• eellike adjective
• eely adjective

Etymology

Origin of eel

before 1000; Middle English ele, Old English ēl, ǣl; cognate with Dutch aal, German Aal, Old Norse āll

Explanation

An eel is a fish that's so long and skinny it resembles a snake. Most eels live in very shallow ocean waters, burrowing into the sand there. Eels are a type of fish, and though they are as long and flexible as snakes, they don't have scales, and if you look closely you can see they have a long, low fin. Eels are famous for being slippery, and in fact to be "as slippery as an eel" means to be so sneaky and cunning that you can get away with something illegal or illicit. This figurative meaning dates from the 16th century.

Example Sentences

Kerr, who has called eel trafficking the "greatest wildlife crime" on the planet, said the vote was a "real pity," but there were some silver linings.

From Barron's • Nov. 27, 2025

One eel species, Anguilla anguilla, or the European eel, is considered critically endangered and was added to Appendix II in 2009.

From Barron's • Nov. 24, 2025

It cites a recent study by Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology that says the Japanese eel population has tripled across East Asia since 1990.

From Barron's • Nov. 22, 2025

The eel, hugely popular across Japan, is also endangered and will be discussed at a key global forum that regulates trade of threatened wildlife, starting in Uzbekistan on Monday.

From Barron's • Nov. 21, 2025

The lifeguard was the one who saved him, curling three tentacles around Daniel to draw him away from a bad-tempered eel who had started shouting about “crazy kids” on his lawn.

From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness