fingerling
/'fiɳgəliɳ/
Học thuậtThân thiện
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
- a young or small fish