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Definition of pacific salmon
pacific salmon
Plural:Pacific salmon
pacific salmon Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
6
Tier
2
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
Any of several species of anadromous fish belonging to the genus Oncorhynchus, native to the North Pacific Ocean and adjoining waters, recognized for their life cycle of migrating from the ocean to freshwater to spawn before subsequently dying.
Example
"Grizzly bears rely heavily on the massive annual runs of Pacific salmon to build up their fat reserves before winter hibernation."
Word Nuance & Usage
Pacific salmon refers specifically to species in the genus Oncorhynchus that typically die after a single spawning event, distinctly contrasting with Atlantic salmon which can survive to spawn multiple times.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The name combines 'Pacific', denoting their native ocean habitat (from Latin 'pacificus' meaning peaceful), and 'salmon', derived from the Latin 'salmo'.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Pacific salmon. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/pacific salmon