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Glite Dictionary
🐟 A large fish 🍣 Fish meat
king salmon

king salmon

1 3.5
A very large Pacific salmon valued as food that dies after spawning
  • noun
  • /kɪŋ ˈsælmən/
  • US
translation icon : salmón rey
  • Anglers travel to Alaska every year hoping to catch a massive king salmon.
  • wild king salmon
  • pound king salmon
  • caught a king salmon

Examples

  • The chef prepared a delicious dish featuring king salmon served with fresh vegetables.

  • After spawning in the river, the king salmon naturally dies, completing its life cycle.

  • The chef prepared grilled king salmon with a lemon-dill sauce for the special dinner.

  • I had a delicious king salmon for dinner last night.

  • The king salmon is known for its rich flavor.

  • During the fishing tournament, he proudly showcased his largest catch, a magnificent king salmon weighing over 15 pounds.

  • We often enjoy grilled king salmon on summer evenings by the lake, paired with a crisp salad.

Synonyms

chinook
vsking salmon
  • US
3 8.0

A large salmon from the Pacific Ocean often eaten as food

focuses on the whole species and its life cycle rather than flesh
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
vsking salmon
  • Specialized
9.9

A large Pacific salmon called king salmon that people eat and that lays eggs and then dies

is the common everyday name rather than the scientific term
quinnat salmon
vsking salmon
  • Archaic
8.4

A large Pacific fish eaten for its rich meat that lays eggs and then dies

is the more widely used common name today
chinook salmon
vsking salmon
  • US
4.6

A large Pacific fish eaten as food that dies after laying eggs

emphasizes the fish as highly prized for food

Surface Forms

king salmon singular
king salmons plural

Morphology

king + salmon

The phrase is a straightforward compound of 'king' (denoting the foremost/largest or best) and 'salmon' (the fish), so its meaning as a particular, large/valued type of salmon is directly inferable. This follows a common naming pattern (e.g., 'king crab', 'rock salmon') and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

The name king salmon comes from this fish being the biggest and most prized of the salmon family, like a king among salmon. People saw that adults often 'die' after returning to rivers to lay eggs, and the royal image is why the name now means this large Pacific species.