pickerel
pickerel Lexical Profile
pickerel Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American Any of several small to medium-sized North American freshwater fishes of the pike family (Esocidae), characterized by an elongated body, a flat duck-like snout, and sharp teeth.
"The angler cast a shiny lure near the lily pads, hoping to catch a chain pickerel hiding in the weeds."
Canadian A popular North American freshwater game and food fish (Sander vitreus) of the perch family, correctly known as the walleye.
"We enjoyed a traditional shore lunch of pan-fried pickerel after a successful morning on the lake."
Word Nuance & Usage
In parts of Canada, 'pickerel' is widely used colloquially to refer to the walleye (a member of the perch family), which frequently causes confusion with the true pickerels belonging to the pike family.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Middle English 'pikerel' (early 14th century), formed as a diminutive of 'pike' with the suffix '-erel', denoting a smaller fish of the pike family.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.