blenny

From Latin blennius, blendius, from Ancient Greek βλεννός (blennós, “mucus, slime”) (whence Modern Greek βλέννα (vlénna)), because of its slimy coating. From Proto-Indo-European *mel- (“soft”).

• Rhymes: -ɛni

blenny (plural blennies)

1. A true blenny, any of various marine fishes from the suborder Blennioidei or order Blenniiformes that are generally small and elongated which dwell on the sea floor, including scaled and scaleless forms and dramatically divergent appearance, in several families.
   1. Blenniidae
   2. Chaenopsidae
   3. Clinidae
   4. Dactyloscopidae
   5. Labrisomidae
   6. Tripterygiidae
2. A number of fish of similar appearance not closely related.
   1. bartail blenny (Platycephalus indicus, in family Pseudochromidae)
   2. viviparous blenny (Zoarces viviparus, in family Zoarcidae)
   3. convict blenny/engineer blenny (Pholidichthys leucotaenia, in family Pholidichthyidae)
   4. scooter blenny (Neosynchiropus ocellatus, in family Callionymidae)