Meanings
plural sand eels · alternative sand-eel · alternative sandeel
- Any of various species of slim fish, resembling eels, especially of the family Ammodytidae.
In short, this means sandeels, the small, oily fish that are a staple diet for many seabirds, need to be in the right place at the right time for puffins to be able to feed their chicks.
2018 June 20, Louise Tickle, The GuardianSynonyms: sandling
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAny of various species of slim fish, resembling eels, especially of the family Ammodytidae.
More synonyms by meaning
nounvery small silvery eellike schooling fishes that burrow into sandy beaches
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Englishsandeel
- Englishsand eel
From Middle English sandeel, sandell, sandel, equivalent to sand + eel. Cognate with German Sandaal (“sand eel”), Danish sandål (“sand eel”).
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
sand eel. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sand%20eel
“sand eel.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sand%20eel. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sand eel,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sand%20eel.
Source: sand eel on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.