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steelhead

American

[steel-hed] / ˈstilˌhɛd /

noun

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

steelhead British

/ ˈstiːlˌhɛd /

noun

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

"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

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

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

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

Populations of Chinook salmon, steelhead trout, Delta smelt and other species have been declining in recent years.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 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

The watershed’s Southern California steelhead trout, many of which were rescued in a separate operation in January, are still unable to return home.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2025

By establishing the salmon sanctuary in Blue Creek, the deal safeguards a vital cold-water habitat for fish including Chinook salmon, coho salmon and steelhead.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 14, 2025

So were the young stages of several thousand steelhead trout and other species of trout.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

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