smolt

American  

[smohlt] / smoʊlt /

noun

1. a young, silvery salmon in the stage of its first migration to the sea.

---

smolt British  

/ sməʊlt /

noun

1. a young salmon at the stage when it migrates from fresh water to the sea

---

Etymology

Origin of smolt

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English; perhaps akin to smelt ²

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

smolt

After they hatch, the baby fry and juveniles, called smolt, begin migrating downstream, typically via San Francisco Bay, and out to sea.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 18, 2024

On a recent morning in March, while dew was still on the road, there occurred the salmon smolt mishap of Northeast Oregon.

From New York Times ● Apr. 3, 2024

The department has temporarily suspended smolt trapping at the Duckabush River.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 26, 2024

Developmental stages—the transitions between the eggs, fry, parr, smolt, and returning salmon—are governed by changes in water temperature, and warmer waters can disrupt the salmon’s life cycle by triggering stunted growth or premature hatching.

From The New Yorker ● Aug. 7, 2019

I say, not with their silver scales, because no clear smolt is ever seen in the Tweed during the summer and autumnal months.

From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine — Volume 54, No. 333, July 1843 by Various

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---