STICKLEBACK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does stickleback mean? 

• STICKLEBACK (noun)
  The noun STICKLEBACK has 1 sense:

1. small (2-4 inches) pugnacious mostly scaleless spiny-backed fishes of northern fresh and littoral waters having elaborate courtship; subjects of much research

  Familiarity information: STICKLEBACK used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• STICKLEBACK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Small (2-4 inches) pugnacious mostly scaleless spiny-backed fishes of northern fresh and littoral waters having elaborate courtship; subjects of much research

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

prickleback; stickleback

Hypernyms ("stickleback" is a kind of...):

acanthopterygian; spiny-finned fish (a teleost fish with fins that are supported by sharp inflexible rays)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "stickleback"):

Gasterosteus aculeatus; three-spined stickleback (of rivers and coastal regions)

Gasterosteus pungitius; ten-spined stickleback (confined to rivers)

Holonyms ("stickleback" is a member of...):

family Gasterosteidae; Gasterosteidae (sticklebacks)