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Definition of macrourid in US English:

macrourid

(also macrurid)

adjective

Ichthyology

  • Of, relating to, or characteristic of the family Macrouridae of deep-water marine fishes with long tapering tails.

noun

Ichthyology

  • A fish of the family Macrouridae; a rat-tail or grenadier.

Origin

1930s; earliest use found in John A. Thomson (1861–1933). From scientific Latin Macrouridae, family name from Macrourus, genus name (M. E. Bloch Ichtyologie v. 122; from macro- + ancient Greek οὐρά tail: see uro-) + -idae. Compare Hellenistic Greek μακρόουρος long-tailed (one isolated attestation), French macroure macrourid.