quillback
quillback Lexical Profile
quillback Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A large, deep-bodied freshwater fish (Carpiodes cyprinus) of the sucker family, native to North America and characterized by a long, quill-like first ray on its dorsal fin.
"Anglers occasionally catch quillback while fishing for other bottom-feeding species in the Mississippi River basin."
North American A species of marine rockfish (Sebastes maliger) native to the Pacific coast of North America, distinguished by its mottled brown and yellow coloring and sharp, stout dorsal spines.
"The quillback rockfish is a slow-growing species commonly found hiding among the rocky reefs of Puget Sound."
Word Origin & Etymology
An American English compound word formed from 'quill' + 'back', referring directly to the long, prominent, quill-like ray on the dorsal fin of the fish.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.