# eel

/ˈiɫ/ (US) · /ˈiːl/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/eel
Updated: 2026-05-31

## Definition

a long, thin fish that looks like a snake. You can find them in both fresh and salt water, and some people eat them as a delicacy.

For teachers: a snake-like fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes, characterized by an elongated body and the absence of pelvic fins.

## Examples

- The eel hides among the rocks in the river.
- While snorkeling near the reef, we saw a moray eel peeking out from a small cave.
- The life cycle of the European eel remains a biological mystery, as the adults migrate thousands of miles to the Sargasso Sea to spawn before they die.

## Usage notes

- The plural form can be 'eel' when referring to the animal as food or a collective group, but 'eels' is standard for individual fish.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.