piranha

[ pi-rahn-yuh, -ran- or, often, -rah-nuh, -ran-uh ]

/ pɪˈrɑn yə, -ˈræn- or, often, -ˈrɑ nə, -ˈræn ə /

Save This Word!

noun, plural pi·ra·nhas, (especially collectively) pi·ra·nha.

any of several small South American freshwater fishes of the genus Serrasalmus that eat other fish and sometimes plants but occasionally also attack humans and other large animals that enter the water.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Also called caribe.

Origin of piranha

1865–70; <Portuguese <Tupi

Words nearby piranha

piracy, Piraeus, piragua, Pirandello, Piranesi, piranha, Pirapóra, pirarucu, pirate, pirate perch, Pirates of Penzance

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use piranha in a sentence

“I would be a figment of people’s imagination at this point if she didn’t guard me and keep me away from every potential Me Too moment, every piranha that was out there waiting to get their teeth into this young blood,” she said.
Brooke Shields is just getting started|Ashley Spencer|November 5, 2021|Washington Post
Changing wind speeds, various terrain obstacles like Chain Chomps and Piranha Plants and large puddles of water can all ruin your golf game.
‘Mario Golf: Super Rush’ brings the putting green to your living room|Shannon Liao|June 24, 2021|Washington Post
Piranha was a film that far exceeded our expectations in quality and commercial success.
Roger Corman: My Nine Most Memorable Films, From ‘The Trip’ to ‘Battle Beyond the Stars’|Roger Corman|December 16, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Piranha 3D, the new horror movie by director Alexandre Aja, which marks the big-screen return of the schlocky creature feature.
Return of the Creature Feature!|Shannon Donnelly|August 19, 2010|DAILY BEAST

Piranha 3D is the latest campy monster movie audiences can't help but love.
Return of the Creature Feature!|Shannon Donnelly|August 19, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Killer fish jumping through the screen, the return of Richard Dreyfuss— Piranha 3D has it all.
The Year's Most Hilarious 3-D Romp|Jacob Bernstein|August 10, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Killer fish jumping through the screen, the return of Richard Dreyfuss—Piranha 3D has it all.
The Year's Most Hilarious 3-D Romp|Jacob Bernstein|August 10, 2010|DAILY BEAST
"But kill that piranha before you try to handle it," she advised seriously.
Astounding Stories of Super-Science, June, 1930|Various
And they lunched quite happily on piranha and pacu—which is smaller—and drank water, and for dessert had more piranha.
Astounding Stories of Super-Science, June, 1930|Various
The piranha, called also the caribe, is a kind of salmon (Tetragonopterus).
The Western World|W.H.G. Kingston
There are several kinds of piranha, many of which abound in the waters of the Tapajos.
The Western World|W.H.G. Kingston

British Dictionary definitions for piranha

piranha

piraa

/ (pɪˈrɑːnjə) /

noun

any of various small freshwater voracious fishes of the genus Serrasalmus and related genera, of tropical America, having strong jaws and sharp teeth: family Characidae (characins)

Word Origin for piranha

C19: via Portuguese from Tupi: fish with teeth, from pirá fish + sainha tooth

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012