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king-of-the-salmon

American  
[king-uhv-thuh-sam-uhn] / ˈkɪŋ əv ðəˈsæm ən /

noun

  1. a ribbonfish, Trachypterus altivelis, of northern parts of the Pacific Ocean.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The king-of-the-salmon got its name from the Makah, Indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest coast who believed the species led salmon back to their spawning grounds, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 15, 2026

“It could be” climate change, Robison said of this latest king-of-the-salmon sighting.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 15, 2026

He said he’d shared the image with an ichthyologist who had identified it as a juvenile king-of-the-salmon, scientifically known as Trachipterus altivelis, which is part of the ribbonfish family.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 15, 2026

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