grunion

G2R1U1N1I1O1N1
/ˈɡɹʌnjən/

noun

Either of two small fish, of the genus Leuresthes, found along the coast of Mexico and southern California, that spawn in the wet sand at certain high tides.

OriginSpanish gruñón →
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Meanings

noungrunion (plural grunions)

plural grunions

  1. Either of two small fish, of the genus Leuresthes, found along the coast of Mexico and southern California, that spawn in the wet sand at certain high tides.

Origin

  1. Spanishgruñón“grunter, grouch”
  2. Englishgrunion

Uncertain, but probably from American Spanish gruñón (“grunter, grouch”), from gruñir (“to grunt”).

More words from Spanish

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with grunion

onionBunyanbuniontrunnionronyon
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

grunion. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/grunion

MLA

“grunion.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/grunion. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “grunion,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/grunion.

Source: grunion on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.