noun
piranha
pih-RAH-nuh
noun
1
A small South American freshwater fish known for its sharp teeth and reputation for ferocity, though most species mainly scavenge or eat plants.
"The documentary showed a school of piranhas stripping a carcass in minutes."
How to Use Piranha
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA toothy river fish from South America, famous (and somewhat exaggerated) for its aggression.
Common pairings
a school of piranhas
piranha-infested waters
Word Forms
piranhas plural, piranha plural
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Etymology
Borrowed into English by 1869 from Portuguese piranha or Spanish piraña, which trace back to the Old Tupi word pirãîa.