blenny

Etymology

From Latin blennius, blendius, from Ancient Greek βλεννός (blennós, “mucus, slime”) (Modern Greek βλέννα), because of its slimy coating. From Proto-Indo-European *mel- (“soft”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɛni

Noun

blenny (plural blennies)

1. A true blenny, any of various marine fishes from the suborder Blennioidei that are generally small and elongated which dwell on the sea floor, including scaled and scaleless forms and dramatically divergent appearance, in several families.
   1. Blenniidae
   2. Chaenopsidae
   3. Clinidae
   4. Dactyloscopidae
   5. Labrisomidae
   6. Tripterygiidae
2. A number of unrelated fish of similar appearance.