Anadromous
/əˈnædrəməs/noun
Describing fish that live mainly in the sea but migrate up freshwater rivers to spawn.
Did you know?The term contrasts with “catadromous,” describing fish such as eels that migrate from freshwater down to the sea to reproduce.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*drem-
“To run or move swiftly; a reconstructed root behind several Greek running-words.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἀνάδρομος (anádromos)
“Running upward or going back up; formed from aná, “up,” and drómos, “a running.””
Ancient Greek
Greek
δρόμος (drómos)
“A running, race, course, or road; the source of English words ending in “-drome.””
19th Century
Scientific Latin
anadromus
“A zoological term for organisms, especially fish, moving upstream or returning from the sea to freshwater.”
19th Century
English
anadromous
“Migrating from the sea up rivers to breed; now chiefly used in ichthyology.”
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