redear

noun

red·​ear ˈred-ˌir How to pronounce redear (audio)
: a common sunfish (Lepomis microlophus) of the southern and eastern U.S. that resembles the bluegill but has the back part of the operculum bright orange red and that feeds especially on snails

called also shellcracker

Examples of redear 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.
The lake has been restocked with black bass, bluegill, redear bream, and fathead minnows, according to the listing. — Gabriel Romero, Chron, 24 Aug. 2022 Included in the sale are channel catfish, largemouth bass, triploid grass carp, hybrid bluegill, redear sunfish, golden shiner, fathead minnows and bluegill. — Chicago Tribune, 15 July 2022

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1948, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of redear was circa 1948

Rhymes for redear

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Cite this Entry

“Redear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/redear. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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