DictionaryAI

salmon

SA-muhn/ˈsæmən/

Pluralsalmon, salmons

8 meanings of salmon

Practice

  1. 1
    living fishnouncountable
    A silvery-sided fish of the Salmoninae subfamily, brownish above and pink-fleshed, that swims up rivers to spawn.

    Each spring, wild salmon return from the ocean to the streams where they hatched.

    A single salmon fought its way over the rapids toward its spawning ground.

    UsageThe plural is most often the same: two salmon, a river full of salmon.

  2. 2
    the meatnoununcountable
    The pink-orange flesh of this river-spawning fish, eaten as food, whether cooked, smoked, cured or raw.

    The restaurant serves smoked salmon on toasted brown bread.

    He poached the salmon in white wine and fresh herbs.

    UsageNo a for the food: we had salmon, smoked salmon on toast.

    Similarlox

  3. 3
    of that coloradjective
    Pale pinkish-orange in color, resembling the flesh of cooked salmon.

    They painted the cottage walls a soft salmon shade.

    His tie was salmon, picking up the flowers on the table.

    UsageTo describe the shade, add a word: pale salmon, salmon pink.

    Note

    John Le Carré's The Honourable Schoolboy (1977) seats its spies on a bench of salmon velvet.

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

    • John le Carré wrote The Honourable Schoolboy, first published in 1977. johnlecarre.com
    • The novel depicts the spies Smiley and Guillam sitting on a bench of salmon velvet. en.wiktionary.org
  4. 4
    the color namenouncountable or uncountable
    A pale pinkish-orange color, the shade of cooked salmon flesh.

    The designer chose salmon for the nursery curtains.

    Her gown was a delicate salmon that glowed under the lights.

    UsageSalmon pink is clearer when listeners might think of the food. Shades count as salmons.

Practice

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Origin

From Middle English samoun, borrowed through Anglo-Norman and Old French saumon from Latin salmō. It largely replaced the native English word lax (from Old English leax). The silent 'l' was inserted later to make the word resemble its Latin root, much like in debt, indict, and receipt.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 7 facts