rainbow trout

American  

noun

1. a trout, Salmo gairdnerii, native in the coastal waters and streams from Baja California to Alaska, used as a food and game fish.

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rainbow trout British  

noun

1. a freshwater trout of North American origin, Salmo gairdneri , having a body marked with many black spots and two longitudinal red stripes

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Etymology

Origin of rainbow trout

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rainbow trout

Excursions with Vail Valley Anglers, booked through the hotel, offer a chance to cast for brown and rainbow trout.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

Fish species affected included largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, flathead catfish, and stocked species such as brown trout and rainbow trout.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 18, 2026

Steelhead trout are the same species as rainbow trout, but they have different lifestyles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2025

Vulnerable populations of rainbow trout are also threatened by the Eaton fire burning in the San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 14, 2025

I remember the smell of crushed ferns in the creel and the delicate sweet odor of fresh damp rainbow trout lying so prettily on the green bed.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck