catadromous

[ kuh-tad-ruh-muhs ]

adjective

1. (of fish) migrating from fresh water to spawn in the sea, as eels of the genus Anguilla ( anadromous ).

catadromous

/ kəˈtædrəməs /

adjective

1. (of fishes such as the eel) migrating down rivers to the sea in order to breed Compare anadromous

Word History and Origins

Origin of catadromous¹

First recorded in 1880–85; cata- + -dromous

Word History and Origins

Origin of catadromous¹

C19: from Greek katadromos, from kata- down + dromos, from dremein to run

Example Sentences

The 13-year-old from Iowa misspelled “catadromous,” an adjective that means “living in freshwater and going to the sea to spawn,” according to the dictionary.

From Washington Post

It’s the catadromous lifestyle that gives eels their profound weirdness.

From New York Times

Of the catadromous fishes there is a single example in our waters--the common eel.

From Project Gutenberg