guppy

From a name mistakenly assigned, Girardinus guppii, after biologist Robert J. L. Guppy, to previously assigned Poecilia reticulata.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡʌpi/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌpi

guppy (plural guppies)

1. A tiny freshwater fish, Poecilia reticulata, popular in home aquariums, that usually has a plain body and black or dark blue tail for the females and a more colorful tail for the males. The guppies can vary in size, but males are 4 cm (1.6”) and females are 7 cm (2.8”).

   Synonym: millionfish

   Fred kept a tank of guppies by the windowsill.

2. (by extension) Any tiny fish.

   Throw that one back; it’s just a guppy!

3. (paintball) A tube holding paintballs before they are loaded into the gun.
   • 2001, John R. Little, Curtis Wong, Ultimate Paintball Field Guide, page 177:

     I reached into my pack and grabbed a guppy to reload. Pouring in the contents, I kept my eyes ahead as I was supposed to do.

4. (climbing) A hold across the palm of the hand rather than the fingertips.

• → Danish: gubbi
• → Dutch: guppie

• guppy on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Category:Poecilia reticulata on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons
• Poecilia reticulata on Wikispecies.Wikispecies

• IPA^(key): /ɡy.pi/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio (Switzerland):

  (file)

guppy m (plural guppys)

1. guppy