lamprey
[ lam-pree ]
/ ˈlæm pri /
|
noun, plural lam·preys.
any eellike marine or freshwater fish of the order Petromyzoniformes, having a circular, suctorial mouth with horny teeth for boring into the flesh of other fishes to feed on their blood.
Nearby words
lampion, lamplight, lamplighter, lampoon, lamppost, lamprey, lamprophony, lamprophyre, lampshade, lampworking, lampyrid
Origin of lamprey
1250–1300; Middle English lampreye < Anglo-French *lampreie (Old French lamproie) < Late Latin lamprēda; replacing Old English lamprede < Medieval Latin lampreda
Also called lamprey eel, lamper eel.
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for lamprey
British Dictionary definitions for lamprey
lamprey
/ (ˈlæmprɪ) /
noun
any eel-like cyclostome vertebrate of the family Petromyzonidae, having a round sucking mouth for clinging to and feeding on the blood of other animalsAlso called: lamper eel See also sea lamprey
Word Origin for lamprey
C13: from Old French lamproie, from Late Latin lamprēda; origin obscure
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