Standard Lemma guide

bitterling

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Any of various species of small cyprinid fish in the genus Rhodeus.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Specifically Rhodeus amarus, formerly called Rhodeus sericeus.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From German Bitterling, calque from Latin amārus (“bitter”), equivalent to bitter + -ling. Compare grayling, fingerling.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: горчивка (gorčivka) — fish of the genus Rhodeus
  • Finnish: katkerokala — fish of the genus Rhodeus
  • French: bouvière — fish of the genus Rhodeus
  • German: Bitterling — fish of the genus Rhodeus
  • Hungarian: ökle — fish of the genus Rhodeus
  • Italian: rodeo — fish of the genus Rhodeus
  • Japanese: 薔薇鱮 (baratanago) — fish of the genus Rhodeus
  • Russian: горча́к (gorčák) — fish of the genus Rhodeus
  • Lower Sorbian: górcyc — fish of the genus Rhodeus
  • Turkish: acı balık — fish of the genus Rhodeus
  • Turkish: gördek — fish of the genus Rhodeus