smolt
smolt Lexical Profile
smolt Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A young salmon or sea trout (typically one to three years old) that has developed silvery scales and undergone physiological adaptations as it migrates from freshwater rivers to the ocean for the first time.
"Conservationists monitor the spring river flow to ensure the migrating smolts safely reach the estuary."
• verb
To undergo the physiological and morphological transformation from a freshwater parr into a silvery, seawater-adapted smolt ready for ocean migration (of a young salmon or trout).
"Juvenile Chinook salmon typically smolt in the spring before swimming downstream toward the Pacific."
• Rhymes for smolt
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English smolt, originating in northern English and Scottish dialects, likely related to Old English smolt meaning 'serene, mild, or smooth', in reference to the fish's smooth, silvery scales.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.