eel en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /iːl/
- ēl
- (US) audio
Etymology
From Middle English el (“eel”), from Old English ǣl (“eel”), from Proto-West Germanic *āl (“eel”), from Proto-Germanic *ēlaz (“eel”), which is of unknown origin. Cognates Cognate with West Frisian iel (“eel”), Dutch aal (“eel”), German Low German Aal, Ool (“eel”), German Aal (“eel”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish ål (“eel”), Faroese állur, álur (“eel”), Icelandic áll (“eel”).
Meanings
-
Any freshwater fish of the order Anguilliformes, which are elongated and resemble snakes.
Off the United States, the National Marine Fisheries Service is helping industry explore fisheries for deep shrimp, rattails, chimeras, orange roughy, smoothheads, slackjaw eels, blue hake, skates and dogfish, which the National Fisheries Institute, an industry group, in an effort to improve their marketability, has renamed cape shark.
1995 December 26, William J. Broad, “Creatures of the Deep Find Their Way to the Table”, in The New York Times:
- A European eel (Anguilla anguilla).
- Various other animals that resemble true eels, chiefly in shape: ▸ Other ray-finned fishes: ▸ An electric eel (any knifefish of the genus Electrophorus)
- Various other animals that resemble true eels, chiefly in shape: ▸ Other ray-finned fishes: ▸ In the order Synbranchiformes: ▸ A swamp eel (any fish in the family Synbranchidae).
- Various other animals that resemble true eels, chiefly in shape: ▸ Other ray-finned fishes: ▸ In the order Synbranchiformes: ▸ An earthworm eel, also called the spineless eel (any fish in the family Chaudhuriidae).
- Various other animals that resemble true eels, chiefly in shape: ▸ Other ray-finned fishes: ▸ In the order Synbranchiformes: ▸ A spiny eel (any fish in the family Mastacembelidae).
- Various other animals that resemble true eels, chiefly in shape: ▸ Other ray-finned fishes: ▸ A deep-sea spiny eel (any fish in the family Notacanthidae).
- Various other animals that resemble true eels, chiefly in shape: ▸ Certain amphibians: ▸ A conger eel, also called the Congo eel, amphiuma, and Congo snake (any salamander of the genus Amphiuma).
- Various other animals that resemble true eels, chiefly in shape: ▸ Certain amphibians: ▸ A two-legged eel, also called the mud eel and lesser siren, Siren intermedia.
- Various other animals that resemble true eels, chiefly in shape: ▸ Certain amphibians: ▸ A leopard eel, also called the leopard siren and reticulated siren, Siren reticulata.
- Various other animals that resemble true eels, chiefly in shape: ▸ Certain amphibians: ▸ A rubber eel, Typhlonectes natans.
- Various other animals that resemble true eels, chiefly in shape: ▸ A vinegar eel, a roundworm of species Turbatrix aceti.
-
Someone or something that is sneaky and/or hard to catch.
That Dennis is a right eel, he always seems to slip away from the scene at the right time.
John scowled after the dog. "Never fear, my lady. I shall get the sneaky, slippery eel yet."
2016, Jody Hedlund, Newton and Polly: A Novel of Amazing Grace, page 131:His expression when incredulous. "Why would you think that?" He was a slippery little eel.
2003, Catherine Anderson, Only by Your Touch:Philosophers and literary critics from ancient times, along with social scientists, physicians, theologians, and biblical scholars more recently, have tried to get a tentative handle, if not a firm grasp, on this "slippery eel" of humor and laughter.
2004, F. Scott Spencer, Dancing Girls, Loose Ladies, and Women of the Cloth, page 26:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| eels | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
eelish · silver eel · eelery · African longfin eel · rubber eel · African mottled eel · sawtooth eel · eeler · garden eel · eel-blenny · Eel Pie Island · eelskin · slime eel · fire eel · longfin eel · thin eel · African spoon-nose eel · lamper eel · sand eel · swamp eel · eel-pout · European eel · electric eel · eelfare · snipe eel · cusk-eel · longneck eel · conger eel · mud eel · eelboat · eel-like · snake eel · Japanese eel · ramper eel · worm eel · eelworm · eely · marbled eel · two-legged eel · snowflake eel · yellow eel · eelpot · neck eel · sea eel · pike eel · Asian swamp eel · Eel River · eelblenny · spaghetti eel · eelspear · wolf eel · eelbuck · deepwater big-eyed worm eel · duckbill eel · eelgrass · eellike · Mauritanian shortface eel · eelfish · glass eel · Congo eel · African eel · deep-sea spiny eel · spiny eel · salt eel · rock eel · wheat-eel · moray eel · vinegar eel · slippery as an eel · eel basket · monkeyface eel · cutthroat eel · green eel · white eel · bastard eel · eelpout · short-finned eel · snake-eel · pelican eel · gulper eel
Relateds
Translations (202)
vo pil (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · km អន្ទង់ (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ceb kasili (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ko 장어 (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ar أَنْكَلِيس (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · tet tuna (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · lt unguriažuvės (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · mus acv´ppv (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ja 鰻 (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · gl airoa (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · hi सर्पमीन (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · arz حَنَشْ (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · yi ווענגער (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ms ikan mua (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · lb Laangfësch (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ryu 鰻 (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ta விலாங்கு (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · sh угор (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · war indong (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · sh jegulja (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · pam igat (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ml മനഞ്ഞില്മത്സ്യം (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · te మలుగు చేప (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · sa ब्राह्मी (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ja ウナギ (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ar أَنْقَلِيس (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · kl nimeriaq (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · nn ål (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · cay gǫ́꞉deh (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · haw puhi (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · hi बाम (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · jv welut (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · lv zutis (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ckb مارماسی (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · vec bixato (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · acw أَنْكَليس (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · mr बाम माछली (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · is áll (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · cmn 䱇 /𱇞 (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · roa-leo enguila (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · dta kotmaal (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · pam palus (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · lt ungurys (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · be ву́гар (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · sl ogór (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · nap capitone (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ajp حَنْكَلِيس (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · cy llysywen (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · id belut (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · mt sallur (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · lb Éil (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · mk јагула (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · nv naʼashǫ́ʼii łóóʼ (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · bn বানমাছ (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · akl igat (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · syl ꠛꠣꠁꠝ (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · la anguīlla (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · be вуго́р (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · caa utuʼ čay (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · alq mihtúckquashep (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · oc anguila (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · sh ugor (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · br silienn (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ca anguila (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ml വഴുതിമാറുന്നവന് (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · unm shoxamèkw (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · eo angilo (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · th ปลาไหล (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · fo állur (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · vo hipil (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · id ikan mua (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · gu બામ માછલી (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · scn ncidda (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ro țipar (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ast anguila (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · csb wãgòrz (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · vo jipil (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · mba kasili (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · izh ankerias (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · tpi mario (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · et angerjas (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · cho nʋni sinti (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · nb ådel (Haugesund) (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · fur bisat (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · nrn ål (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · isd ixat (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · kmr marmasî (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ka გველთევზასნაირნი (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · vi cá chình (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · it anguilla (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · kw sylli (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · vec bisato (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · bi namarae (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · my ငါးရှဉ့် (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · dv ވެނ (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · hy օձաձուկ (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · sne bodung (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · an enguila (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ug تاسما (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · gd easgann (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · gv astan (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · tr yılan balığı (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ms belut (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · nl paling (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · scn anghidda (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · cs úhoř (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · wyi iuk (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · scn ancidda (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · wrh galindulin (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · cmn 鰻魚 /鳗鱼 (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · nb ål (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · mfe angi (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · scn nghidda (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · pt enguia (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · de Aal (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · apc أَنْكَلِيس (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · fi ankeriaskala (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · fr anguille (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · el χέλι (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · co anguilla (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ro anghilă (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · gl anguía (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · sl jegulja (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · kn ನೀರಹಾವು (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · pox voďör (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · abe nahômo (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · dlm anǧola (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ood wamad watopi (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · nah cōāmichin (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · nan-hbl 鱸鰻 /鲈鳗 (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · enm el (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · sq ngjalë (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · es anguila (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · az ilanbalığı (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ru у́горь (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · hi बाँब (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · da ålefisk (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · uk вуго́р (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · vo snekafit (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ht zangi (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · mic ga't (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · af paling (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · fo álur (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · bdr badung (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · wa anweye (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · fy iel (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · he צְלוֹפָח (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · cmn 鱔魚 /鳝鱼 (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · sk úhor (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · zdj mhunga (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · chr ᏢᏕᎦ (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · nan-hbl 烏耳鰻 /乌耳鳗 (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ga eascann (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · mel beduong (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · grc ἔγχελυς (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · io anguilo (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · se ággaras (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · hu angolna (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · kk жыланбалық (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · as বামী (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · hsb wuhor (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · li aol (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ml ആരൽ (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · eu aingira (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · pl węgorz (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · fi ankerias (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · kla ġawi (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · cmn 鰻 /鳗 (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · pl węgorzokształtne (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · tl igat (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · bg змио́рка (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · sh јегуља (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · non áll (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · mww ntses nab (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · et angerjalised (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · mi tuna (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · dsb wugoŕ (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ovd ål (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ota ییلان بالغی (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · af aal (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · tg мормоҳӣ (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · lo ຕົວອ່ຽນ (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · vec bixat (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ary نُونَة (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · acw أَنْقَليس (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · sw mkunga (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · yue 鰻魚 /鳗鱼 (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · nl palingachtigen (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · nan-hbl 海鰻 /海鳗 (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ml വിലാഞ്ഞില് (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · id sidat (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · nl aal (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · rm anguilla (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · fa مارماهی (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · ang ǣl (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · de Aalartige (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · da ål (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · xsy tola' (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · sv ål (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · nan-hbl 鰻 /鳗 (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · vec bixata (any fish of the order Anguilliformes) · bo སྦྲུལ་ཉ (any fish of the order Anguilliformes)