lamprey
[ lam-pree ]
/ ˈlæm pri /
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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.
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Also called lamprey eel, lamper eel.
Origin of lamprey
1250–1300; Middle English lampreye<Anglo-French *lampreie (Old French lamproie) <Late Latin lamprēda; replacing Old English lamprede<Medieval Latin lampreda
Words nearby lamprey
lamplight, lamplighter, lamp oil, lampoon, lamppost, lamprey, lamprophony, lamprophyre, lampshade, lamp shell, lamp standard
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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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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