lamprey

Etymology

From Middle English laumprei, adopted from Old French lampreie (Modern lamproie), from Medieval Latin lampreda, possibly from Late Latin lampetra, from a combination of lambō (“lick”) + petra (“stone”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlæm.pɹi/, /ˈlæm.pɹeɪ/

• Audio (CA)

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• Hyphenation: lam‧prey

Noun

lamprey (plural lampreys)

1. Any long slender primitive eel-like freshwater and saltwater fish of the Petromyzontidae family, having a sucking mouth with rasping teeth but no jaw.

References

• lamprey in Oxford English Dictionary, volume VI, 1908
• lamprey in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Anagrams

• Parmley