tarpon

American  

[tahr-puhn] / ˈtɑr pən /

noun

plural

tarpons,

plural

tarpon

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

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tarpon British  

/ 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. another name for ox-eye herring

3. any similar related fish

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Etymology

Origin of tarpon

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

Example Sentences

Recently, guides have been increasingly reporting that sharks are taking a bigger bite out of the tarpon catch in recent years, and may, in fact, pose a risk to the species' survival.

From Science Daily • Jan. 22, 2024

The team also found that tarpon tend to congregate in Bahia Honda during the spring, pre-spawning seasons -- and the hammerheads know it.

From Science Daily • Jan. 22, 2024

Setting out into the Gulf of Mexico in threes and fours, fishermen returned with buckets of tarpon and long, streaked snook.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 13, 2023

"Although tarpon are large and put up quite a fight, they are also fragile fish," says Griffin.

From Science Daily • Oct. 25, 2023

Gill nets were outlawed years ago in Florida because they kill everything that gets tangled, not just the baitfish but sharks, reds, snook, tarpon, turtles—you name it, it dies.

From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen