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Definition of sumatra barb
sumatra barb
Plural:sumatra barbs
sumatra barb Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
9
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A small, lively freshwater fish (Puntigrus tetrazona) native to the rivers and swampy lakes of Southeast Asia, particularly Sumatra and Borneo, characterized by a silvery-yellow body crossed by four vertical black stripes.
Example
"The hobbyist stocked the large planted aquarium with a lively school of Sumatra barbs."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Named after the Indonesian island of Sumatra, part of its native habitat, combined with 'barb', a general term for various cyprinid freshwater fishes (derived from Latin 'barbus', referring to beard-like sensory barbels, though the Sumatra barb typically lacks them).
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Sumatra barb. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/sumatra barb