steelhead

American  

[steel-hed] / ˈstilˌhɛd /

noun

plural

steelheads,

plural

steelhead

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

---

steelhead British  

/ ˈstiːlˌhɛd /

noun

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

---

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

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife wrote that it is concerned about weakened protections for winter-run and spring-run chinook salmon, steelhead trout, delta smelt and longfin smelt.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 3, 2025

Fish and Wildlife Service’s military conservation partner of the year for its efforts to support the recovery of several species, including the tidewater goby, coastal California gnatcatcher, the arroyo toad and southern California steelhead.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 28, 2025

Report cards also remain required for fishing steelhead, sturgeon or salmon in the Smith and Klamath-Trinity river systems as these species and waterways are closely monitored due to conservation concerns.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2025

The Palisades fire that sparked Jan. 7 tore through the area, scorching all of the critical habitat for the gobies and an endangered population of steelhead trout that occupied the same watershed.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 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