Definition

Noun: A very small or young fish, especially one that is about the size of a finger. This term is often used in the context of aquaculture and fisheries for juvenile fish being raised.

Examples

• The hatchery released thousands of salmon fingerlings into the river.
• We caught a few fingerlings but threw them back so they could grow.
• The pond is stocked with trout fingerlings each spring.

Advanced Usage

• The term is most commonly applied to young salmonids (like trout and salmon) and other sport or farmed fish.
• It can be used metaphorically to describe anything very small and young in its development, though this is less common.
• "Fingerling stage": Refers to the specific life stage of a fish when it is a fingerling.

Variants and Related Words

• Fry (n): An earlier life stage of a fish, after the yolk sac is absorbed but before it becomes a fingerling.
• Parr (n): A specific stage in the life cycle of a young salmon, often synonymous with fingerling for that species.
• Smolt (n): A later stage for young salmon when they become ready for migration to the sea.

Synonyms

• Juvenile fish
• Young fish
• Small fry (informal, can also mean insignificant people or things)

Related Phrases

• Fingerling potato: A small, narrow variety of potato, named for its finger-like shape. (Note: This is a compound noun, not a direct meaning of "fingerling" alone).
• To stock fingerlings: The action of placing young fish into a pond, lake, or stream.

Noun

1. a young or small fish