Definition of piranha in English:
piranha
noun pɪˈrɑːnəpɪˈrɑːnjəpəˈrɑn(j)ə
A deep-bodied South American freshwater fish that typically lives in shoals and has very sharp teeth that are used to tear flesh from prey. It has a reputation as a fearsome predator.
锯脂鱼Serrosalmus and other genera, family Characidae: several species
- Some items are curios, such as a necklace of peccary teeth and a piranha jaw fashioned into a cutting tool.
- You become fish bait to the school of piranhas circling around.
- I would rather throw myself to piranhas than have that reputation.
- She glanced across at her large fish tank, where two piranhas swam back and forth.
- Two well-known fish with multiple rows of teeth are piranhas and sharks.
Origin
Mid 18th century: via Portuguese from Tupi pirá 'fish' + sainha 'tooth'.
Rhymes
Africana, Afrikaner, Americana, ana, banana, Botswana, bwana, cabana, caragana, Christiana, Dana, darner, Edwardiana, garner, Georgiana, Ghana, Gloriana, Guiana, gymkhana, Haryana, iguana, Lana, lantana, liana, Lipizzaner, Ljubljana, Mahayana, mana, mañana, marijuana, nirvana, Oriana, pacarana, prana, Purana, Rosh Hashana, Santayana, Setswana, sultana, Tatiana, Tijuana, Tirana, tramontana, Tswana, varna, Victoriana, zenana
Definition of piranha in US English:
piranha
nounpəˈrän(y)əpəˈrɑn(j)ə
A deep-bodied South American freshwater fish that typically lives in schools and has very sharp teeth that are used to tear flesh from prey. It has a reputation as a fearsome predator.
锯脂鱼Serrasalmus and other genera, family Characidae: several species, including the red (or red-bellied) piranha (S. natterei)
- Two well-known fish with multiple rows of teeth are piranhas and sharks.
- You become fish bait to the school of piranhas circling around.
- She glanced across at her large fish tank, where two piranhas swam back and forth.
- Some items are curios, such as a necklace of peccary teeth and a piranha jaw fashioned into a cutting tool.
- I would rather throw myself to piranhas than have that reputation.
Origin
Mid 18th century: via Portuguese from Tupi pirá ‘fish’ + sainha ‘tooth’.