electric eel

noun

1. an eellike, freshwater fish, Electrophorus electricus, found in the Amazon and Orinoco rivers and tributaries, sometimes over 6 feet (1.8 meters) long, capable of emitting strong electric discharges.

electric eel

noun

1. an eel-like freshwater cyprinoid fish, Electrophorus electricus, of N South America, having electric organs in the body: family Electrophoridae

Word History and Origins

Origin of electric eel¹

First recorded in 1785–95

Example Sentences

Ash said he and the team bathed in the river at night with electric eel, caiman, sting rays, giant river otters and piranha.

From BBC

He once summoned Begley up to the house to work out the practicalities of keeping electric eels in the swimming pool to generate power.

From Los Angeles Times

For centuries this landscape, shaped by ancient rivers, has been shared by ranchers and cattle, which learned to coexist with jaguars, panthers, anacondas, electric eels and crocodiles.

From New York Times

Yet as the authors admit in the study, "this investigation represents the initial exploration of the uncharted impact of electric eel EOD, but it does not directly establish its significance within the natural environment."

From Salon

In a recent study, a research group from Nagoya University in Japan found electric eels can release enough electricity to genetically modify small fish larvae.

From Science Daily