trout

noun

ˈtrau̇t 

plural trout also trouts

1

: any of various salmonid food and sport fishes that are mostly smaller than the typical salmons and are anadromous or restricted to cool clear fresh water:

a

: any of various Old or New World fishes (genera Salmo, Salvelinus, and Oncorhynchus) compare brown trout, rainbow trout

b

: char entry 1

2

: any of various fishes (such as the largemouth bass) held to resemble the true trouts

Examples of trout in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bergamot scents a dish of Alpine trout and cauliflower purée, while one of his team is a forager from the region, and brings back clutches of pine needles and wild spinach. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

Threatened fish include bull trout, Snake River Basin steelhead trout and Snake River Chinook salmon, also known as king salmon. —Idaho Statesman, 22 Apr. 2026

Other highlights include trout amandine, bouillabaisse, and a herbes de Provence-scented rotisserie chicken. —Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2026

The quarry water contains aluminum, iron, molybdenum, high levels of salts and sediment, and other contaminants that can harm steelhead trout and other fish and wildlife, according to the lawsuit. —Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English trūht, from Late Latin trocta, tructa, a fish with sharp teeth, from Greek trōktēs, literally, gnawer, from trōgein to gnaw — more at troglodyte

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing trout

• brook trout
• brown trout
• cutthroat trout
• Dolly Varden trout
• golden trout
• lake trout
• Mackinaw trout
• rainbow trout
• sea trout
• speckled trout
• spotted sea trout
• trout lily
• trout-perch

Rhymes for trout

• bout
• clout
• doubt
• drought
• flout
• gout
• grout
• kraut
• lout
• out
• pout
• rout

Kids Definition

trout

noun

ˈtrau̇t 

plural trout also trouts

1

: any of various edible fishes that are mostly smaller than the related salmons, are restricted to cool clear fresh water or spend time at sea before returning to fresh water to breed, and are often speckled with dark colors

2

: any of various fishes that resemble the true trouts