cusk

noun

ˈkəsk How to pronounce cusk (audio)
plural cusk or cusks
1
: a large edible North Atlantic fish (Brosme brosme) of the cod family
2
: burbot

Examples of cusk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Enormous, near-vertical cliffs materialized, populated by squat lobsters, grenadier fish, cusk eels, and translucent tunicates. — Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 5 July 2016 Usually found in deep water, the adult gargoyle cusk eel is extremely rare and represents the only member of its genus. — Andrea Gawrylewski, Scientific American, 8 June 2022

Word History

Etymology

probably alteration of tusk, a kind of codfish

First Known Use

1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cusk was in 1616

Rhymes for cusk

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Browse Nearby Words

cushy
cusk
cusk eel
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Cite this Entry

“Cusk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cusk. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cusk

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cusk

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