humpback salmon


noun
  1. a pink salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, inhabiting North Pacific waters: so-called because of the hump that appears behind the head of the male when it is ready for spawning.

Origin of humpback salmon

1
An Americanism dating back to 1800–10
  • Also called humpy, humpie .

Words Nearby humpback salmon

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use humpback salmon in a sentence

  • Salmon they smoked in numbers, for now the run of the humpback salmon was on, replacing the earlier one of the smaller red salmon.

    The Young Alaskans | Emerson Hough