smallmouth bass

American  

[smawl-mouth bas] / ˈsmɔlˌmaʊθ ˈbæs /

noun

1. a North American freshwater game fish, Micropterus dolomieu, yellowish-green above and lighter below, having the lower jaw extending to the eye.

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smallmouth bass British  

/ ˈsmɔːlˌmaʊθ ˈbæs /

noun

1. a North American freshwater black bass, Micropterus dolomieu, that is a popular game fish

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Etymology

Origin of smallmouth bass

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Compare meaning

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

• smallmouth bass vs. largemouth bass

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

smallmouth bass

The fishing: The upper Potomac River near Leesburg is one of the more underrated fisheries on the East Coast, known for its smallmouth bass.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

At least they do when they aren’t fishing Oregon’s Umpqua River for smallmouth bass.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2023

The treatment will require a weekend closure of the Colorado River slough, a cobble bar area surrounding the backwater where the smallmouth bass were found and a short stretch up and downstream.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 18, 2023

He compared the size of this region in Dunkleosteus to the head proportions of nearly 1,000 other species of fossil and modern fish, ranging in size from smallmouth bass to large sharks.

From New York Times ● Mar. 4, 2023

Just a few miles north of Lees Ferry and its trout fishery there’s another threat - nonnative predatory smallmouth bass.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 17, 2022