stickleback

[ stik-uhl-bak ]

noun

1. any of the small, pugnacious, spiny-backed fishes of the family Gasterosteidae, inhabiting northern fresh waters and sea inlets, the male of which builds and guards the nest.

stickleback

/ ˈstɪkəlˌbæk /

noun

1. any small teleost fish of the family Gasterosteidae, such as Gasterosteus aculeatus ( three-spined stickleback ) of rivers and coastal regions and G. pungitius ( ten-spined stickleback ) confined to rivers. They have a series of spines along the back and occur in cold and temperate northern regions

Word History and Origins

Origin of stickleback¹

1400–50; late Middle English stykylbak, equivalent to Old English sticol scaly + bæc back ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of stickleback¹

C15: from Old English stickel prick, sting + back ¹

Example Sentences

This led to more fish dying, including spined stickleback and eels.

From BBC

Studies of sticklebacks, for example, have shown that different populations that moved from salt to freshwater consistently underwent the same morphological and physiological changes to organs such as their kidneys, with genetic changes to match.

From Science Magazine

The lubricating proteins were abundant in the fish’s jaws and in the fins of zebra fish, gar, and sticklebacks, the scientists reported.

From Science Magazine

One stickleback will begin approaching, then wait to see whether another will approach a little closer.

From Scientific American

Earlier this month, Krantz visited a stickleback translocation effort that he helped to organize.

From Los Angeles Times