stickleback
noun
stick·le·back ˈsti-kəl-ˌbak 
plural sticklebacks also stickleback
: any of a family (Gasterosteidae) of small scaleless bony fishes having two or more free spines in front of the dorsal fin and including marine, anadromous, and freshwater forms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web During the breeding season, male stickleback fish become intensively territorial and take on a bright red coloration on their underside that attracts females. 
Lee Alan Dugatkin, Scientific American, 15 Apr. 2022 As of this year, ecologists have reintroduced chorus frogs, three-spine stickleback fish, the California floater mussel and the San Francisco forktail damselfy to the lake. Jessica Flores, San Francisco Chronicle, 29 Apr. 2021 The stickleback surge is triggering other ecosystem impacts. Elizabeth Pennisi, Science | AAAS, 27 Aug. 2020 Dancing Fish Three-spine sticklebacks have a strange mating ritual. Quanta Magazine, 1 Dec. 2015 First, male sticklebacks build a nest and perform a dance to attract a mate. Quanta Magazine, 1 Dec. 2015 So far, Candolin notes, the sloppier mating caused by murky waters isn't hurting stickleback populations in the Baltic. Elizabeth Preston, Science | AAAS, 20 June 2019 One possible explanation was that the marine sticklebacks had already carried a rare mutation for the loss of the pelvic fin, one that arose in their ancestors. Quanta Magazine, 5 Feb. 2019 One poor fellow is turned into an involuntary stickleback. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 29 May 2017 See More
Lee Alan Dugatkin, Scientific American, 15 Apr. 2022 As of this year, ecologists have reintroduced chorus frogs, three-spine stickleback fish, the California floater mussel and the San Francisco forktail damselfy to the lake. Jessica Flores, San Francisco Chronicle, 29 Apr. 2021 The stickleback surge is triggering other ecosystem impacts. Elizabeth Pennisi, Science | AAAS, 27 Aug. 2020 Dancing Fish Three-spine sticklebacks have a strange mating ritual. Quanta Magazine, 1 Dec. 2015 First, male sticklebacks build a nest and perform a dance to attract a mate. Quanta Magazine, 1 Dec. 2015 So far, Candolin notes, the sloppier mating caused by murky waters isn't hurting stickleback populations in the Baltic. Elizabeth Preston, Science | AAAS, 20 June 2019 One possible explanation was that the marine sticklebacks had already carried a rare mutation for the loss of the pelvic fin, one that arose in their ancestors. Quanta Magazine, 5 Feb. 2019 One poor fellow is turned into an involuntary stickleback. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 29 May 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English stykylbak, from Old English sticel goad + Middle English bak back; akin to Old English stician to stick
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing stickleback
Kids Definition
stickleback
noun
stick·le·back ˈsti-kəl-ˌbak
: a small scaleless fish with sharp spines on its back