guppy

[ guhp-ee ]

/ ˈgʌp i /

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noun, plural gup·pies.

a small, freshwater topminnow, Poecilia reticulata, often kept in aquariums.

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Also called rainbow fish.

Origin of guppy

Named after R.J.L. Guppy (1836–1916) of Trinidad, who presented specimens to the British Museum; catalogued under the New Latin name Gerardinus guppyi in 1866

Words nearby guppy

gunwale, gunyah, Günz, Günzberg's test, Guo Moruo, guppy, Gupta, Gur, Gurdjieff, gurdwara, gurge

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use guppy in a sentence

Sometimes we sally forth in search of adventures in the thick of a 'London particular,' Mr. Guppy's phrase for a fog.
Penelope's English Experiences|Kate Douglas Wiggin
I wonder if the world, which retails Guppy anecdotes, will be anything the wiser for it.
George Eliot's Life, Vol. III (of 3)|George Eliot
The fourth brings us the Jellybys, with Mr. Guppy, and others.
The Problem of 'Edwin Drood'|W. Robertson Nicoll
At luncheon Mrs. Stewart described a sitting with Mrs. Guppy the spiritualist.
The Story of My Life, volumes 4-6|Augustus J. C. Hare

Mrs. Guppy said, Dear spirit (we are always very affectionate you know), would you like the glass?
The Story of My Life, volumes 4-6|Augustus J. C. Hare

British Dictionary definitions for guppy

guppy

/ (ˈɡʌpɪ) /

noun plural -pies

a small brightly coloured freshwater viviparous cyprinodont fish, Lebistes reticulatus, of N South America and the Caribbean: a popular aquarium fish

Word Origin for guppy

C20: named after R. J. L. Guppy, 19th-century clergyman of Trinidad who first presented specimens to the British Museum

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