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Definition of electric eel

electric eel

Plural:electric eels
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• noun

1

A large, snakelike freshwater knifefish native to the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America, possessing specialized organs that can discharge powerful electric shocks to hunt prey and defend against predators.

Example

"The researchers measured the voltage produced by the electric eel to understand how it successfully navigates murky waters and stuns its prey."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for electric eel

Word Nuance & Usage

Despite its name and snakelike appearance, the electric eel is not a true eel, but rather a species of neotropical knifefish.

• Nearby Words

elbe
elbert
elderberry
electric eel
electroplax
elegant pitviper
elepaio

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Electric eel. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 17, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/electric%20eel
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