tarpon

noun

tar·​pon ˈtär-pən How to pronounce tarpon (audio)
plural tarpon or tarpons
: a large silvery elongate bony fish (Megalops atlanticus of the family Megalopidae) that occurs especially in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and warm coastal waters of the Atlantic, reaches a length of about six feet (two meters), and is often caught for sport

Examples of tarpon 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 monster threw himself into the air with the power of a tarpon and the speed of a rainbow trout. Charles Elliott, Outdoor Life, 27 June 2024 The pair divorced two years later and Gratia received the property, where, for the following years, the U.S. Department of Fisheries used the island to study tarpon. Caroline Eubanks, Travel + Leisure, 25 Mar. 2024 Robbie’s Marina of Islamorada Islamorada, mile marker 77.5 No trip through the Upper Keys is complete without a stop to feed the tarpon. Gwen Filosa, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2024 Brings was fishing from the beach and had two lines out when the tarpon struck. Travis Hall, Field & Stream, 17 Aug. 2023 See all Example Sentences for tarpon 

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1685, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tarpon was in 1685

Dictionary Entries Near tarpon

Cite this Entry

“Tarpon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tarpon. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

tarpon

noun
tar·​pon ˈtär-pən How to pronounce tarpon (audio)
plural tarpon or tarpons
: a large silvery sport fish found in the Gulf of Mexico and warm coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean

More from Merriam-Webster on tarpon

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!