Guppy

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɡʌpi/

Definitions

1. A diminutive aquarium fish that thrives in freshwater environments and is appreciated for its bright hues and high reproductive rate
2. This small species found in domestic tanks is valued for its colorful appearance and prolific breeding habits in suitable habitats
3. A small, colorful freshwater fish often kept in home aquariums, recognized for its lively nature and rapid reproduction rate

Etymology: The guppy is named after a man who never meant to have it named after him. Robert John Lechmere Guppy was a British naturalist working in Trinidad in the 1860s, where he sent specimens of a tiny live-bearing fish back to European scientists. In 1866 the German zoologist Albert Günther described the species as "Girardinus guppii", honouring Guppy as its discoverer. The fish was later recognised as the same species already named "Poecilia reticulata", so Günther's name was a mistake, but the label stuck in everyday use. The fish itself was then renamed in scientific records, while the nickname that had grown up around it stayed in common speech and aquarium trade. Guppy's name therefore survives in the hobby, attached to a creature he happened to send home rather than one he defined.

Synonyms: fish, aquatic pet