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Definition of jewel cichlid
jewel cichlid
Plural:jewel cichlids
jewel cichlid Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
9
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A brightly colored, often highly territorial freshwater fish of the genus Hemichromis (family Cichlidae), native to West and Central Africa and commonly kept in aquariums.
Example
"The aquarium enthusiast carefully selected the tank's rockwork to accommodate the territorial behavior of the jewel cichlid."
Word Origin & Etymology
The name derives from the word 'jewel', referring to the fish's iridescent, brightly colored spots that resemble gems, combined with 'cichlid', from the family name Cichlidae (derived from Greek 'kichlē', meaning a type of fish).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Jewel cichlid. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/jewel cichlid