walleye

American  

[wawl-ahy] / ˈwɔl aɪ /

noun

plural

walleyes, walleye

1. Also called walleyed pike, jack salmon.  a large game fish, Stizostedion vitreum, inhabiting the lakes and rivers of northeastern North America; pikeperch.

2. any of various other fishes having large, staring eyes.

3. an eye characteristic of a walleyed person or animal.

4. Military. Walleye, a series of television-guided bombs with high-explosive warheads, in production since the 1960s.

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walleye British  

/ ˈwɔːlˌaɪ /

noun

1. a divergent squint

2. opacity of the cornea

3. an eye having a white or light-coloured iris

4. (in some collies) an eye that is particoloured white and blue

5. Also called: walleyed pike.  a North American pikeperch, Stizostedion vitreum, valued as a food and game fish

6. any of various other fishes having large staring eyes

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Other Word Forms

• walleyed adjective

Etymology

Origin of walleye

First recorded in 1515–25; back formation from walleyed

Example Sentences

The big worry now is that the carp are migrating closer to the Great Lakes, where they could endanger the walleye, bass and trout that support the region’s $5 billion fishing industry.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

From there, the menu moves to the restaurant’s specialties: hand-cut steaks aged in-house, sautéed scallops and pan-fried walleye.

From Salon • Mar. 10, 2026

The two crooked fishermen were exposed by a judge at the tournament in September when their top-ranked catches were cut open, revealing several walleye filets and multiple weights between 8 to 12 ounces.

From Washington Times • Mar. 28, 2023

Something seemed fishy to tournament director Jason Fischer about the winning walleye two men had caught in a Cleveland competition last year.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2023

She gave us the walleye and said, “Dinner in an hour.”

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly