Meanings
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Thesaurus
Synonyms
1
noun
· a jawless, eel-shaped...
lamprey eel
Word family
Forms
lampreys
Related forms
hagfishjawless fishcyclostome
Appears in
Etymology
From Middle English laumprei and Old French lampreie, ultimately Medieval Latin lampreda. The deeper origin is uncertain; a traditional explanation connects Latin lambere, 'to lick,' with petra, 'rock,' referring to the animal's sucking mouth.