Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun prickleback

2 senses of prickleback

Sense 1
prickleback -- (small elongate fishes of shallow northern seas; a long dorsal fin consists entirely of spines)
       => blennioid fish, blennioid -- (elongated mostly scaleless marine fishes with large pectoral fins and reduced pelvic fins)

Sense 2
stickleback, prickleback -- (small (2-4 inches) pugnacious mostly scaleless spiny-backed fishes of northern fresh and littoral waters having elaborate courtship; subjects of much research)
       => spiny-finned fish, acanthopterygian -- (a teleost fish with fins that are supported by sharp inflexible rays)