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Definition of longear sunfish
longear sunfish
Plural:longear sunfish
longear sunfish Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
9
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
North American A small, brightly colored freshwater fish (Lepomis megalotis) in the sunfish family, native to eastern and central North America, characterized by a prominently elongated black opercular flap or 'ear' with a pale margin.
Example
"While exploring the clear streams of the Ozarks, the biologists cataloged several longear sunfish notable for their striking blue and orange markings."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Named for its distinctively elongated opercular flap (gill cover) which resembles an ear, and its membership in the North American sunfish family (Centrarchidae).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Longear sunfish. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/longear sunfish