muskellunge

American  

[muhs-kuh-luhnj] / ˈmʌs kəˌlʌndʒ /

noun

plural

muskellunges,

plural

muskellunge

1. a large game fish, Esox masquinongy, of the pike family, found in the lakes and rivers of the eastern and central United States and and in Canada from Quebec to Manitoba.

---

muskellunge British  

/ ˈmæskəˌlɒndʒ, ˈmʌskəˌlʌndʒ, ˈmæskəˌnɒndʒ /

noun

1. Often (informal) shortened to: musky.   muskie.  a large North American freshwater game fish, Esox masquinongy: family Esocidae (pikes, etc)

---

Etymology

Origin of muskellunge

An Americanism dating back to 1780–90; earlier muskinunge, masquenongez ( French spelling), etc., from Canadian French maskinongé from Ojibwe ma·skino·ŝe·, ma·ŝkino·ŝe· (equivalent to unattested Proto-Algonquian mya·ŝi “similar to, kind of” + *kenweŝye·wa “northern pike”)

Example Sentences

Nolan Sprengeler caught a 55-pound muskellunge on Nov. 22 during a fishing trip to Millie Lacs Lake, according to a press release from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

From Fox News • Dec. 28, 2021

The state keeps records based on length for the catch and release of muskellunge, northern pike, lake sturgeon or flathead catfish.

From Seattle Times • May 22, 2018

Clyde’s finds itself with too many airplanes, along with too many vintage golf trophies, ice skates, seltzer bottles, taxidermied muskellunge, fox hunting prints, papier-mâché parrots, hand-carved wooden pineapples and more.

From Washington Post • Jun. 20, 2017

The fishermen are seeking muskellunge, a large member of the pike family that is also known as “muskie.”

From Washington Times • Aug. 8, 2015

Whoever has taken in a muskellunge of any size will ever after troll patiently, even through masses of weed.

From How to Cook Fish by Reed, Myrtle