mojarra
mojarra Lexical Profile
mojarra Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American Any of various freshwater fishes, particularly cichlids such as tilapia, that are widely consumed as a popular food fish in Latin American and Mexican-American cuisine.
"For dinner, the beachfront restaurant served whole fried mojarra accompanied by lime wedges, rice, and fresh tortillas."
A small, silvery marine and freshwater fish belonging to the family Gerreidae, found primarily in shallow coastal waters, estuaries, and mangroves of tropical and warm temperate regions.
"The angler cast a cast net into the shallow estuary, catching a dozen mojarra to use as live bait for snook and tarpon."
Word Nuance & Usage
In ichthyology, 'mojarra' strictly refers to marine fishes of the family Gerreidae. However, in culinary and colloquial contexts across the Americas, the term is widely used to refer to freshwater cichlids, particularly tilapia.
• Rhymes for mojarra
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish 'mojarra', which derives from Andalusian Arabic 'muḥarrab' meaning 'sharpened' or 'pointed', likely referring to the projecting snout or body shape of the fish.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.