hellgrammite
- noun
- /ˈhɛlɡrəˌmaɪt/
- Specialized
- The fisherman prefers using hellgrammites as bait.
Examples
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While fishing in the stream, I found several hellgrammites hiding under the rocks.
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Anglers often use a hellgrammite as bait when fishing for smallmouth bass.
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We found a large hellgrammite clinging to a rock in the shallow stream.
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The biology class studied the life cycle of the hellgrammite in the local river.
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I caught a big hellgrammite yesterday.
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Many anglers swear that using hellgrammites as bait leads to the best fishing catches.
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The large bass were biting vigorously on hellgrammites, making it a great day to fish.
Synonyms
A large brown young insect that lives in water and is used as fishing bait
A large soft insect whose young live in water and are used as fishing bait
A large soft-bodied insect whose male has very long thin jaws and larvae that live in streams used for bait
Large insect with a soft body and long jaws whose young live in water and are used as fishing bait
A large North American insect whose young live in water and are used as fish bait
A group of large insects that live in water, like dobsonflies
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word hellgrammite probably comes from an old folk name that joins hell (meaning 'scary' or 'bad') and grammite, a local word for a tough stream insect. So remember it as a 'scary' stream larva, which fits because hellgrammite now names the large aquatic larva fishers use as bait.