[trout] n, pl trout also trouts [ME, fr. OE truht, fr. LL trocta, tructa, a fish with sharp teeth, fr. Gk troktes, lit., gnawer, fr. trogein to gnaw--more at troglodyte] (bef. 12c) 1: any of various salmonid food and sport fishes that are mostly smaller than the typical salmons and are anadromous or restricted to cool clear fresh waters: a: any of various Old or New World fishes (genera Salmo and Oncorhynchus)--compare brown trout, rainbow trout b: [1]char
2: any of various fishes (as the largemouth bass) held to resemble the true trouts