muskellunge

[muhs-kuh-luhnj] /ˈmʌs kəˌlʌndʒ/

noun, plural muskellunges (especially collectively) muskellunge.

a large game fish, Esox masquinongy, of the pike family, found in the lakes and rivers of eastern and middle western North America.

Also, maskalonge, maskinonge, muskallonge.

Origin

1780-90, Americanism; earlier muskinunge, masquenongez (French spelling), etc., < Canadian French maskinongé < Ojibwa ma·skino·ŝe·, ma·ŝkino·ŝe· (equivalent to Proto-Algonquian *mya·ŝi similar to, kind of + *kenweŝye·wa northern pike)

Examples from the web for muskellunge

The lake is regionally known for its fishing, with record-setting catches of muskellunge and walleye.
Efforts to collect brood muskellunge form the wild failed.

British Dictionary definitions for muskellunge

muskellunge

/ˈmʌskəˌlʌndʒ/

noun (pl) -lunges, -longes, -nonges, -lunge, -longe, -nonge

a large North American freshwater game fish, Esox masquinongy: family Esocidae (pikes, etc) Often (informal) shortened to musky, muskie

Word Origin

C18: maskinunga, of Algonquian origin; compare Ojibwa mashkinonge big pike

Word Origin and History for muskellunge

"large North American pike," 1789, from Algonquian (Ojibwa) maashkinoozhe; the second element kinoozhe "pike;" the first either mac "great," maazh- "similar to," or maazh- "ugly." Altered by French folk etymology as masque allongé "long mask." Called muskie for short (1894).