stickleback
noun
stick·le·back
ˈsti-kəl-ˌbak 
plural sticklebacks also stickleback
: any of a family (Gasterosteidae) of small scaleless bony fishes having two or more free spines in front of the dorsal fin and including marine, anadromous, and freshwater forms
Examples of stickleback in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
After delivering a guest lecture on sticklebacks, an unfamiliar fish caught Stanford University researcher David Kingsley’s eye.
—
Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 27 Sep. 2024
One stickleback will begin approaching, then wait to see whether another will approach a little closer.
—Athena Aktipis, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2023
Under such circumstances, Krantz and others have reasoned that if the burros cannot be removed, the stickleback have to be relocated for their own safety.
—Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2023
Then the first stickleback will go a little further, taking its turn being the one nearest the predator.
—Athena Aktipis, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for stickleback 
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.
Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 27 Sep. 2024
One stickleback will begin approaching, then wait to see whether another will approach a little closer.
—Athena Aktipis, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2023
Under such circumstances, Krantz and others have reasoned that if the burros cannot be removed, the stickleback have to be relocated for their own safety.
—Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2023
Then the first stickleback will go a little further, taking its turn being the one nearest the predator.
—Athena Aktipis, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for stickleback
Dictionary Entries Near stickleback
Cite this Entry
“Stickleback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stickleback. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stickleback
noun
stick·le·back
ˈstik-əl-ˌbak
: any of numerous small scaleless fishes that have two or more sharp spines on the back
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share