steelhead

American  

[steel-hed] / ˈstilˌhɛd /

noun

steelheads plural

1. a silvery rainbow trout that migrates to the sea before returning to fresh water to spawn.

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steelhead British  

/ ˈstiːlˌhɛd /

noun

1. a silvery North Pacific variety of the rainbow trout ( Salmo gairdneri )

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• steelhead
  plural
• steelheads
  plural

Etymology

Origin of steelhead

First recorded in 1580–90; steel + head

Compare meaning

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

• steelhead vs. trout

Example Sentences

In a past life, steelhead trout and coho salmon thrived in this stream.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 10, 2025

Overhouse and other environmental advocates argue that the voluntary deals struck by major water suppliers would be disastrous for threatened and endangered fish, including salmon, steelhead, green sturgeon, longfin smelt and Delta smelt.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 24, 2025

The Southern California steelhead trout have been pushed to the brink of extinction as their river habitats have been disrupted by barriers and dams.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2025

Another endangered fish, northern tidewater gobies, were rescued from the same watershed shortly before the steelhead were liberated.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2025

Soon salmon and steelhead and trout from the Dungeness made their way up the irrigation ditch and gathered in schools in the pond.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown