darter

[ dahr-ter ]

noun

1. a person or thing that darts or moves swiftly.
2. anhinga.
3. any of several small, darting, freshwater fishes of the perch family, inhabiting streams of eastern North America.

darter

/ ˈdɑːtə /

noun

1. Also calledanhingasnakebird any aquatic bird of the genus Anhinga and family Anhingidae, of tropical and subtropical inland waters, having a long slender neck and bill: order Pelecaniformes (pelicans, cormorants, etc)
2. any small brightly coloured North American freshwater fish of the genus Etheostoma and related genera: family Percidae (perches)

Word History and Origins

Origin of darter¹

First recorded in 1555–65; dart + -er ¹

Example Sentences

The nine darter put Littler 6-5 up but Cross pushed him all the way and the teenager took victory with a 103.76 average in the final.

From BBC

"At 17, Michael was unbelievable, the same as Luke, hitting nine darters in TV tournaments," Bray told BBC Radio 5 Live.

From BBC

His unconventional attitude and methods soon became apparent with the listing of the snail darter, a little fish now so notorious it has become synonymous with government overreach.

From Seattle Times

Freshwater fanshell mussels rely on darter fish, including the tangerine and Roanoke, for their survival.

From National Geographic

As I watched, he photographed a striated darter that didn't yet have a name, a Yellow Bass, an Orangefin Shiner and a giant crayfish discovered in 2011 in the very creek we were at.

From Scientific American