walleye
walleye Lexical Profile
walleye Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A large, predatory freshwater perciform fish (Sander vitreus) native to the lakes and rivers of Canada and the northern United States, characterized by an olive-and-gold body and reflective, pearlescent eyes adapted for feeding in low light.
"Anglers across the Great Lakes region prize the walleye for its elusive behavior in deep, rocky waters."
North American The firm, flaky, mild-flavored white flesh of the walleye fish, widely regarded as a regional culinary delicacy in the Upper Midwest and Canada.
"The lakeside restaurant is famous for its pan-fried walleye served with wild rice and lemon."
An ophthalmic condition in which one or both eyes turn outward away from the nose (exotropia), or in which the cornea has a whitish opacity or lack of pigment in the iris.
"The veterinarian noted a pronounced walleye in the older horse, though its vision remained largely unaffected."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed as a back-formation from the Middle English adjective 'walleyed', which derives from Old Norse 'vagleygr', combining 'vagl' (a beam or film in the eye) and 'auga' (eye). The North American fish was later named for its pearlescent, reflective eyes that enable it to see in dark, murky waters.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.