Hypertext Webster Gateway: "stickleback"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Stickleback \Stic"kle*back`\, n. [OE. & Prov E. stickle a
prickle, spine, sting (AS. sticel) + back. See {Stick}, v.
t., and cf. {Banstickle}.] (Zo["o]l.)
Any one of numerous species of small fishes of the genus
{Gasterosteus} and allied genera. The back is armed with two
or more sharp spines. They inhabit both salt and brackish
water, and construct curious nests. Called also {sticklebag},
{sharpling}, and {prickleback}.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
stickleback
n : small (2-4 inches) pugnacious mostly scaleless spiny-backed
fishes of northern fresh and littoral waters having
elaborate courtship; subjects of much research [syn: {prickleback}]
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.