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stickleback

noun
stick·​le·​back | \ ˈsti-kəl-ˌbak How to pronounce stickleback (audio) \
plural sticklebacks also stickleback

Definition of stickleback

: any of a family (Gasterosteidae) of small scaleless bony fishes having two or more free spines in front of the dorsal fin and including marine, anadromous, and freshwater forms

Examples of stickleback in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 One possible explanation was that the marine sticklebacks had already carried a rare mutation for the loss of the pelvic fin, one that arose in their ancestors. — Quanta Magazine, "Fragile DNA Enables New Adaptations to Evolve Quickly," 5 Feb. 2019 One poor fellow is turned into an involuntary stickleback. — Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, "“Alien: Covenant” and the Too-Many-Monsters Problem," 29 May 2017

First Known Use of stickleback

15th century, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for stickleback

Middle English stykylbak, from Old English sticel goad + Middle English bak back; akin to Old English stician to stick

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More Definitions for stickleback

stickleback

noun
stick·​le·​back | \ ˈsti-kəl-ˌbak How to pronounce stickleback (audio) \

Kids Definition of stickleback

: a small scaleless fish with sharp spines on its back

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