blenny

American  

[blen-ee] / ˈblɛn i /

noun

plural

blennies

1. any of several fishes of the family Blenniidae and related families, especially of the genus Blennius, having a long, tapering body and small pelvic fins inserted before the pectoral fins.

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blenny British  

/ ˈblɛnɪ /

noun

1. any blennioid fish of the family Blenniidae of coastal waters, esp of the genus Blennius , having a tapering scaleless body, a long dorsal fin, and long raylike pelvic fins

2. any of various related fishes

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Etymology

Origin of blenny

1745–55; < Latin blennius a kind of fish < Greek blénnos slime, mucus; so called from its slimy coating

Example Sentences

What, we wonder, is the character of this sea lion; what kind of individual is this hammerhead shark; what is on the mind of this blenny?

From New York Times • Nov. 25, 2019

"And the drop seems to cause a loss of co-ordination in the predator that allows the blenny to get away."

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2017

These morphine-like compounds cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, apparently disorientating a predator and letting the blenny escape.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2017

"The fang blenny would simply swim out of the mouth and escape."

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2017

A British sea-fish of the blenny tribe, common under stones at low-water mark, remarkable as being ovo-viviparous.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir