red snapper

American

noun

any of several snappers of the genus Lutjanus, especially L. campechanus, a large food fish of the Gulf of Mexico.

red snapper British

noun

any of various marine percoid food fishes of the genus Lutjanus , esp L. blackfordi , having a reddish coloration, common in American coastal regions of the Atlantic: family Lutjanidae (snappers)

"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

Etymology

Origin of red snapper

An Americanism dating back to 1765–75

Compare meaning

How does red-snapper compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

redfish vs. red snapper

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Brian Keuer hauled in a small catch of red snapper and barracuda on a small, single-engine fishing boat on Thursday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 26, 2025

This summer, the company plans to add salmon and red snapper to its offerings.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 29, 2025

The whole red snapper was super flavorful and flaky, the steak was perfectly cooked, and the cocktails were really great, too.

From Salon • Jul. 22, 2024

His daily specials have ranged from barbecue spare ribs to fresh red snapper on a whole-grain brioche bun.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 24, 2023

I miss spicy stewed chicken and red snapper seasoned to the bone.

From "American Street" by Ibi Zoboi

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023