skəˈla(a)rē, -lärā noun
( -s )
Etymology: New Latin, specific epithet of Pterophyllum scalare, from Latin, neuter of scalaris of a ladder; from the barred pattern on its body
: a popular cichlid tropical aquarium fish ( Pterophyllum scalare ) of So. American origin laterally compressed with large pointed fins and strikingly barred with black and silver ; also : a very similar but smaller fish ( P. einekei )