cisco
noun
cis·co
ˈsi-(ˌ)skō 
plural ciscoes
: any of various whitefishes (genus Coregonus) that have a large mouth with a long and often projecting lower jaw
especially
: lake herring
Examples of cisco in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
By the 1940s, the blood-suckers were killing their hosts—lake trout, lake whitefish, and ciscoes—in droves.
—
Jayme Moye, Outside Online, 17 Jan. 2025
Perch and ciscoes – also known as tullibees – move into shallower water, drawing big, toothy predators in close pursuit.
—Brad Dokken, Twin Cities, 7 Dec. 2024
The suction-cup mouth and teeth helps a lamprey burrow into (and feed on) the flesh of trout, sturgeon, whitefish, ciscoes, burbot, walleye, catfish, and salmon, among others.
—Joe Genzel, Outdoor Life, 27 May 2020
Cold-water species like cisco were involved in 6% of the die-offs analyzed by the researchers.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 9 July 2019
The fish have demonstrated a survival capability not found in most other native ciscoes in the region, five of which have disappeared from Lake Michigan.
—Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 20 Jan. 2018
Wazee is stocked periodically with trout, and a cisco introduction project was started in 2013.
—Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 25 May 2018
In addition, populations of cisco (also called lake herring), one of the major prey items for lake trout, were displaced by non-native alewife and rainbow smelt.
—Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2018
The Guam flycatcher, the Caribbean monk seal, and the blackfin cisco are now completely extinct from our planet.
—Josh Linkner, Detroit Free Press, 1 Apr. 2018
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Jayme Moye, Outside Online, 17 Jan. 2025
Perch and ciscoes – also known as tullibees – move into shallower water, drawing big, toothy predators in close pursuit.
—Brad Dokken, Twin Cities, 7 Dec. 2024
The suction-cup mouth and teeth helps a lamprey burrow into (and feed on) the flesh of trout, sturgeon, whitefish, ciscoes, burbot, walleye, catfish, and salmon, among others.
—Joe Genzel, Outdoor Life, 27 May 2020
Cold-water species like cisco were involved in 6% of the die-offs analyzed by the researchers.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 9 July 2019
The fish have demonstrated a survival capability not found in most other native ciscoes in the region, five of which have disappeared from Lake Michigan.
—Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 20 Jan. 2018
Wazee is stocked periodically with trout, and a cisco introduction project was started in 2013.
—Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 25 May 2018
In addition, populations of cisco (also called lake herring), one of the major prey items for lake trout, were displaced by non-native alewife and rainbow smelt.
—Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2018
The Guam flycatcher, the Caribbean monk seal, and the blackfin cisco are now completely extinct from our planet.
—Josh Linkner, Detroit Free Press, 1 Apr. 2018
Cite this Entry
“Cisco.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cisco. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.
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