tarpon

[ tahr-puhn ]

noun

, plural tar·pons, (especially collectively) tar·pon.

1. a large, powerful game fish, Megalops atlantica, inhabiting the warmer waters of the Atlantic Ocean, having a compressed body and large, silvery scales.

tarpon

/ ˈtɑːpən /

noun

1. a large silvery clupeoid game fish, Tarpon atlanticus, of warm Atlantic waters, having a compressed body covered with large scales: family Elopidae
2. See ox-eye herring
   another name for ox-eye herring
3. any similar related fish

Word History and Origins

Origin of tarpon¹

1675–85; earlier tarpum, trapham, terbum, of uncertain origin; compare Dutch tarpoen; words in various Indian languages of Central America ( Miskito tapam, Sumo tahpam, Rama tā́pum, Paya ta’pam ) probably ultimately < English

Word History and Origins

Origin of tarpon¹

C17: perhaps from Dutch tarpoen, of unknown origin

Example Sentences

Skilled anglers can land massive tarpon among the park’s seven islands from land or by private vessel.

From Outside Online

She makes a short cast, but then, we’re not going for tarpon here.

From Popular-Science

They are the Tarpon, the Falcon, the Sea Fox, and the Octopus.

From The Daily Beast

We fished together—for bluefish in the Long Island sound and for tarpon at Islamorada.

From The Daily Beast

Then ensues a struggle that makes tarpon fishing as tame in comparison as catching shiners.

From Project Gutenberg

The Van Rossums are going to Florida, because the old gentleman has lost some tarpon he wants to find again.

From Project Gutenberg

Fortunately we had never really felt that our happiness depended upon catching a tarpon.

From Project Gutenberg

Probably no one who fishes at all can withstand the temptation to try his hand at tarpon when visiting the Gulf of Mexico waters.

From Project Gutenberg

The oarsman said it was a tarpon of average size; but to the fisherman he looked to be fifty feet long and to weigh a ton.

From Project Gutenberg